Driving instructors reveal the most common driving exam mistakes
At belairdirect, we're all about keeping things simple. However, when it comes to your driving test, life can get a little complicated. We reached out to some of the top driving schools in Canada and asked them the following two questions:
- "What are the most common mistakes made on the written test?" and
- "What are the most common mistakes made on the practical test?"
See what they had to say below!
Scott Marshall, Director of Training - Young Drivers of Canada
What are the most common mistakes student drivers make on their written test?
The most common mistake students make on their written test is figuring out sign usage and right of way. Students don’t seem to grasp the meaning of a variety of signs.
What is the most common mistake student drivers make during their road test?
The most common mistake drivers make on their road test is in determining the right of way. They either take it when it's not given or wait too long to take it when it’s theirs.
Igor Isaev, Owner, Driving Instructor - Sprint Driving School
What are the most common mistakes student drivers make on their written test?
The most common mistake students make on their written tests is failing to identify the differences between licensing categories (G1, G2, G). Other mistakes include answering questions such as when to pull over for emergency vehicles, what the speed limits are in various zones, and how to handle accidents incorrectly.
What is the most common mistake student drivers make during their road test?
The most common mistakes student drivers make during their road test is feeling stressed or nervous, which can impact their performance. Other mistakes include:
- Failing to do mirror and head checks
- Not coming to a complete stop at a stop sign
- Failing to maintain the legal speed limit
- Failing to proceed on a green light; failing to give way
- Entering an intersection on a yellow light
- Turning right without yielding to pedestrians
Scott McQuaid, Driving Instructor - First Route Driving School
What are the most common mistakes student drivers make on their written tests?
The most common mistake student drivers make on their written test is not using the awesome training material that's available to them. Anyone can download the New Driver’s Handbook for free, and there are about a million G1 practice test websites. If they study the handbook and complete a few practice tests, they should easily pass their test on the first try!
What is the most common mistake student drivers make during their road test?
The most common mistake student drivers make during their road test is either failing to complete a proper blind spot shoulder check every time they signal, or impeding traffic by being too cautious or unsure of themselves.
Frédéric Lamarche, Administrative Director, École de conduite Lauzon Gouin
What are the most common mistakes student drivers make on their written test?
The sections they do most poorly on are signals and road signs. This is the area where students have the most difficulty. It’s not recognizing the signals themselves that poses a problem, but it’s knowing their meaning and correctly reading road and highway indications. Students also misread questions or often simply don’t understand them.
What is the most common mistake student drivers make during their road test?
The most common errors involve failing to anticipate situations before they occur as well as other errors of judgment. New drivers have a problem with overall perspective, which is directly related to a lack of practice at home. Otherwise, they make errors related to the Highway Traffic Code, such as not coming to a full stop when required or turning right on a red light when doing so is not allowed. Running yellow lights is another common mistake, and weak parking skills in general are also an issue.
Darren Riber, Driving Instructor - Golan Driving School
What are the most common mistakes student drivers make on their written tests?
Students not studying is the major cause of failure on the written test. The other is when they are overconfident and think they know everything, but don’t really...
What is the most common mistake student drivers make during their road test?
The most common mistakes student drivers make during their road test include a lack of observation and observing the "right of way."
Mina Iskandar, Vice President, Marketing & External Affairs - George Driving School
What are the most common mistakes student drivers make on their written test?
Gaps in road-law knowledge are the most common! Prospective drivers have a difficult time remembering how far they need to be from a fire hydrant or how close they can park to a sign. They don’t realize they can lose points because of these issues. The area where they perform the best is road sign and signal recognition.
What is the most common mistake student drivers make during their road test?
Maintaining their speed is the most common mistake. New drivers have not yet developed the skill of sensing when they are over or under the speed limit based on the pressure they are putting on the gas pedal. Therefore, a lot of students fail because they have not adjusted to the speed limit, or even if they have adjusted, they may have a difficult time maintaining the legal speed.
Keith Altenburg, Driving Instructor - Port Coquitlam Driving School
What are the most common mistakes student drivers make on written tests?
The most common mistake student drivers make on their written test is failure to study the rules of the road (road signs, legal distances, how to engage with four-way stop signs, etc.).
What is the most common mistake student drivers make during their road test?
The most common mistake student drivers make during their road test is failing to shoulder check.
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