Common Road Test Mistakes to Avoid!

Gearing up for a driving test is a lot like preparing to try out for the school’s soccer team or cheerleader’s squad. Apart from the palpable excitement, you also feel an incredible mix of fear, anticipation, and dread. This is especially true if you’re sitting for the truck driving test, as you are aiming to become not just any driver but a professional one.

Here’s an open secret, though: panicking won’t do you any good. 

Still, there is a silver lining to over-worrying about every single thing that might go wrong on the day of your driving test. At least, you can prepare enough for each scenario to make sure you don’t make fatal yet avoidable mistakes, such as the following:

Booking Your Test Too Soon

One of the worst mistakes you can make is to book a road test before you’re ready for it. If you’re aware that you still feel jumpy on the road, or if you know you have yet to perfect some important driving skills, it would be best to give yourself time.

Any fear you currently feel about driving a truck would not magically go away during the test. In fact, you’d be feeling that fear a thousand times worse if you don’t get rid of it beforehand.

Before you book a test, kill the fear through consistent practice. You could also ask qualified mentors for tips and tricks on key areas like parallel parking and reversing.

Using a Vehicle You’re Not Used to

As a budding truck driver, not every vehicle will be a breeze for you to handle just yet. 

Imagine learning all your skills from a professional truck driving school, only to use a G-wagon to take your test. When you get in, you might even be confused as to what goes where. This would definitely raise red flags in the mind of your examiner, jeopardizing your chances of getting that license. 

Our advice? Take your test with the car model you learned with.

So long as it has an "L" sign, is registered, and meets requirements outlined by each province, you can take your chosen vehicle to a driving test. After all, you can always rent your preferred car.

Not Checking Mirrors Regularly

Don’t you just wish you had more than one pair of eyes to watch all sides of your truck during the test? Well, that’s what the side and rearview mirrors are for. 

Trust that your examiner will keep a close eye on how frequently you check your mirrors. After all, having excellent command of mirrors is a great indicator of how ready you are for your license.

Train yourself to use your mirrors when preparing to overtake, changing lanes, speeding, or any other move that could have a toll on other road users. Remember, the safety of all should be your concern as a driver. 

Making Rolling Stops

Whatever happens, always remember to come to a complete stop at red lights, drive-bys, and stop signs. 

At stop signs, there’s no stipulated time to wait -- just ensure you obey it by coming to a full stop, not only slowing down and driving past. 

Rolling or incomplete stops reduce your test scores, as it's one of the things examiners take note of. In real life, you could also get caught for beating a traffic light, stop sign, and the like, so it’s best to learn how to make full stops now. 

Letting Your Nerves Get to You

It’s okay to get nervous, so long as you don’t let it affect your performance, especially since too much anxiety can cause the littlest mistakes.

Breathe in and out -- you've got this.

The success of road tests is often determined from the moment you step in the vehicle, so stay calm. Make sure your examiner can feel your confidence. 

Need Professional Help?  

At Professional Transport Driver Training School, we are always ready to give budding truckers thorough lessons on truck driving . 

We provide class 1 and class 3 training in Manitoba. We also offer driver evaluation and can help you find a truck driver from our top graduates for all your personal or company needs across Winnipeg. 

To find out how we could help you get that coveted license, call us on 204-925-1580 or fill out our online student inquiry form, and we will be in touch with you soon.