| Millions of Americans take their drivers test each year. | | | | you are passing or have passed the first street. The |
| If you're one of them, chances are, it's a very big deal | | | | reason for this? If you start signalling too early, vehicles |
| to you. Passing your the road test is a huge | | | | waiting at the first road might see you coming with |
| accomplishment. For a young person, it represents a | | | | your turn signal flashing, think that you are about to |
| major milestone in life. For others, it can mean the | | | | make a right turn at their street and drive out in front |
| freedom to take their family new places or pursue a | | | | of your car. Anyone for a juicy t-bone? Ouch. |
| better career. | | | | 3. Signalling too late. Signalling too late is also a problem. |
| Unfortunately, about half of those taking their test for | | | | When making a turn, make sure that you signal before |
| the first time will fail. And it happens for a variety of | | | | you start braking. This lets the vehicle following you |
| reasons. As a former driving test examiner for the | | | | know that you are about to slow and provides them |
| Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), I have | | | | additional time to get ready and slow down as well. |
| witnessed just about everything that can go wrong | | | | Even if you don't cause an accident, signalling too late |
| during a driving test. I've been in a car that has pulled in | | | | will cost you points on your test. |
| front of an oncoming semi, I've been rear-ended after | | | | 4. Hesitating. |
| stopping for no apparent reason and I've had | | | | Often, new drivers are either so nervous or so |
| someone hit the gas instead of the brake and plough | | | | determined to show the examiner how careful they |
| right into the DMV building (much to the delight of my | | | | are that they hesitate to go when it is safe to do so. |
| fellow examiners). I've even seen other examiners end | | | | Sometimes they even wait for awhile, realize that they |
| up in the hospital. If you have a flair for the dramatic | | | | should have gone earlier and then pull out in front of |
| and a car that you're looking to get rid of, there are | | | | oncoming traffic at the last second (kind of like a |
| plenty of heart-stopping ways to fail your drivers test. | | | | squirrel crossing the street). It's one thing to make sure |
| Here are five mistakes that may seem harmless but | | | | that it is safe before proceeding. It's another thing to sit |
| can lead to dangerous situations. | | | | there so long that your car begins to rust. Be careful |
| 1. Stopping in a yield. | | | | but be confident. Hesitating is not only a nuisance to |
| Looking for a good way to get rear-ended and fail | | | | other drivers but can result in a dangerous situation. |
| your driving test? Look no further. Stopping | | | | 5. Backing up improperly. |
| unnecessarily in a yield is a great way to write off that | | | | This one happens A LOT, usually right at the start of |
| old clunker that mom lent you for the road test. Even if | | | | the road test. If you are parked in a stall at the |
| you don't get hit from behind, simply forcing the person | | | | beginning of your test and need to back up, make sure |
| behind you to slow or stop unnecessarily will probably | | | | that you are aware of the vehicles parked on either |
| get you a failure. The correct procedure? As you | | | | side of your car. Remember that if you are looking |
| enter a yield to make right hand turn, look at the traffic | | | | behind you and start turning the steering wheel as |
| in front of you. If it is slowing or coming to a stop, do | | | | soon as you begin to back up, the front end of your |
| the same. If it is not slowing or coming to a stop, look | | | | car will swing out sideways and hit the parked car |
| to the left to make sure that it is safe to proceed. If | | | | next to you. I can't tell you how many times I had to |
| there is no traffic coming and it is clear in front of you, | | | | grab the wheel out of someone's hand to prevent this |
| keep it moving!! On the other hand, if it isn't safe to | | | | from happening. It's an automatic failure so be careful. |
| proceed, then slow down or stop. The point is that you | | | | Make sure that you have backed up straight far |
| should keep moving if it is safe to do so. Otherwise, | | | | enough so that when you turn the wheel, the front of |
| you may end up with the vehicle behind you in the rear | | | | your car will clear the car parked next to you. |
| seat of your car. | | | | Remember these five driving tips and keep both you |
| 2. Signalling too soon. | | | | and your examiner on the road and out of the hospital. |
| If there are two streets on the right hand side of your | | | | Good luck and good driving! |
| car and the driving examiner asks you to turn at the | | | | Jeff Kelly is an author and former DMV driving |
| second one, make sure that you do not signal before | | | | examiner. |