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I finally recently got my class 5 in BC, which means I'm a fully licensed driver now!! Not to brag, but I passed all my tests on the first try and I wanted to share my tips with you, because I understand how tough they are and how heartbreaking it is to fail. If you've failed in the past, it just means you weren't ready, which is keeping you and other drivers safe but hopefully with these tips, you will be sure to pass the road test!
1. Hire a driving school
My top tip is to hire a driving school for sure. It's expensive, but worth it. Before getting my L, I read the Learn to Drive Smart manual once and took the practice quizzes online until I got perfect. However, once I got my L, there was definitely a lot more to be done that could actually improve my driving. I took Young Drivers classroom lessons BEFORE driving, which taught me a lot about the rules and motions you're supposed to do while driving. Having a driving teacher is very beneficial, especially since you use their car while taking your test, showing the examiner that you've done lessons before and have had loads of practice time. To get my class 5, I instead used Saigon Driving School, which is a lot cheaper than Young Drivers.
2. Shoulder check and drive the speed limit
I can't tell you how many stories I've heard of people failing just because they didn't shoulder check or go the posted speed limit. My friend told me he failed because his shoulder checks weren't obvious enough, so be sure to exaggerate and make it super obvious when you're shoulder checking. Examiners give you some leeway if you go 10% over or under the speed limit, but be wary of school zones, parks, and construction sites. They're very strict on that and if you do go over, it's an automatic fail. Driving too slow, for example 40 km/hr in a 50km zone, can also deduct points from your exam.
3. Map out school zones and parks
A tip I read before is that a guy literally mapped out all the schools and parks around his intended ICBC exam location. Of course, if you hire a driving school, they already know the common exam routes and will take you through there and identify any school zones or areas where people often fail. Luckily, I took my exam near the end of summer, when summer school was out so I didn't have to mind any school zones (another reason why summer is often booked and hard to find an exam opening, plus guaranteed sunny weather). In BC, the road tests are only about 25-30 minutes of actual driving, so you can guess where an examiner will take you. Plan accordingly to your desired ICBC location and city.
4. Tie your hair up or wear a cap
My first driving teacher told me to wear my hair in a ponytail while taking my test. The swinging of my hair after doing shoulder checks would further emphasize the motion. Wearing a cap would also do the same, but the examiners want to look at your eyes and see that they're constantly looking around, so don't wear it too far down on your head. Yes, this tip will make your drivers license photo look terrible, but when it expires you'll take another picture anyways.
5. Sit on a pillow
If you have a short torso like me, sitting on a pillow will make you higher up and able to see a lot more of the road. This one tip greatly improved my driving skills! On the N test, the examiner will ask you to identify hazards. These are the six that I had to list.
- pedestrians, bikers
- parked cars
- lack of a sidewalk (on the road where I was at)
- trees, bushes
- sunny weather (or rainy, foggy, cloudy)
- fences hiding people
6. If it's sunny, don't use your overhead visor
ICBC discourages the use of it because apparently it obstructs your vision. Instead, keep sunglasses on top of your head but make sure to only move your hands off the wheel when you're stopped, and even then, keep at least one hand on the wheel at all times, and two while you're driving.
7. Drive with confidence
When you're nervous, you're increasingly more likely to make mistakes. It happens, but try not to let it overcome you. I get terrible test anxiety but if I at least act confident, it tricks my body and mind into believing that I actually am! Fake it until you make it 😉. Surprisingly, I wasn't nervous at all while taking my class 5 test. Usually once I've done something before, I know what to expect and therefore feel more comfortable. Another tip to relax is to just play your favourite song inside your head, especially while waiting for your name to be called to take the road test.
8. Make small talk with the examiner
While waiting at a stoplight, it can get kind of awkward with the silence in the car so I like to break up the tension with a little small talk. This relaxes you and the examiner, distracts the examiner, shows that you're able to multitask, and can hopefully get yourself on the examiner's good side. I told a story of witnessing a truck going through a red light that would've hit me, had I not known to scan the intersection before proceeding, thus demonstrating my knowledge of perception. Of course, if you suck at multitasking, don't do it cause you don't wanna distract yourself.
9. Be vocal about what you see and do
You might look crazy muttering to yourself about the steps you're going through, but it lets the examiner know what's going on in your mind and helps them know that you know what you're doing and are able to identify hazards on the road.
10. Practice, practice, practice
When you're learning how to drive, it's highly encouraged that you practice a lot. This will improve your confidence and driving is one of those things where you can only get better at with experience. Practice driving to work or school every day and your skills will greatly increase, guaranteed.
BONUS TIP: book your exam on a weekday not during rush hour (to avoid having so many cars on the road) and during summer (for clear weather and no school zones, but do be careful cause places have summer school in effect).
And that concludes my top 10 tips on how to pass your road test! Good luck and stay safe driving!!
x
Melissa
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