On the road test you drive a route with real traffic while the examiner scores specific maneuvers and your general driving. You won't be asked to do anything unsafe, and directions come early enough to act on them.
Know the rule
Before your test, practice with a properly licensed parent/guardian or friend over 21, starting in low-traffic residential areas. All new drivers are encouraged to take driver's education.
Handbook p. 104 ↗Turns and intersections — the examiner watches that you:
- Check traffic, signal, brake smoothly and get into the correct lane for the turn
- Stop without skidding behind the stop line, crosswalk or sign, front wheels straight
- Keep both hands on the wheel and yield to pedestrians and traffic
- Don't move into oncoming traffic or drive over the curb
- Don't change lanes while going through an intersection
- Finish in the correct lane, cancel the signal, and move to the right-most lane when safe
Know the rule
When stopping behind another vehicle, keep a safe gap: you should be able to see its rear tires.
Handbook p. 104 ↗Know the rule
Urban and rural driving: make regular traffic checks, keep a safe following distance, stay centered in the right-most lane and keep up with traffic without exceeding the limit.
Handbook p. 105 ↗Know the rule
Lane changes: you'll change left, then back right. Check mirrors, head-check your blind spot, signal, change smoothly, then cancel the signal.
Handbook p. 105 ↗Expressway and limited-access roads:
- Entering: mirrors, head check, signal, merge while speeding up without stopping or crossing solid lines
- On the road: keep lane position, spacing and speed; keep checking traffic
- Exiting: signal, brake smoothly once in the deceleration lane, follow posted warning speeds
- Cancel your signal after every merge or exit
Know the rule
Curves: slow down before the curve so no braking is needed in it, and stay in your lane.
Handbook p. 106 ↗Know the rule
You'll be asked to identify several traffic signs anywhere on the route, including one you just passed.
Handbook p. 106 ↗General driving:
- Brake smoothly with steady pressure; stop completely at signs and signals
- Both hands on the outside of the wheel; hand-over-hand and hand-to-hand are both acceptable
- Finish a left turn in the left-most lane and a right turn in the right-most (curb) lane
- Stay in the right-most lane unless blocked; no lane changes at intersections
- Signal at the right time, not too early or too late, and cancel it after
- Never stop over the stop line, crosswalk or sidewalk, or in the intersection
Automatic failures:
- Not using your safety belt
- Not checking your blind spots
- A moving-violation citation, disobeying signs or signals, speeding or rolling through stops
- Not yielding to pedestrians or other road users
- An avoidable crash, or contact with vehicles, objects or pedestrians
- Any unsafe act, or forcing another driver to take evasive action
- Driving over sidewalks or curbs unnecessarily
- The examiner having to take control of the vehicle
Know the rule
During the road test you may also be asked to do basic control exercises, such as a turnabout or parallel parking, in a real-world setting.
Handbook p. 107 ↗Put it into practice
The examiner asks you to change lanes to the left on a four-lane street. Check your mirrors, look over your left shoulder, signal, move over smoothly, then cancel the signal. Skipping the head check is an automatic failure.