What to expect on your drive test

Drive test requirements

Below is a list of what we will test you on once you're behind the wheel:

1. Starting your vehicle.

2. Leaving the curb: do you signal and wait until it's safe to re-enter traffic

3. Controlling the vehicle

• Using the gas pedal, brake, steering wheel, and other controls correctly
• Changing your speed to meet the number and speed of other vehicles, pedestrians, road and weather conditions, construction, amount of light, and the distance you can see ahead

4. Driving in traffic

• Using the proper lane
• Signaling to change lanes
• Changing lanes carefully
• Following other vehicles at a safe distance
• Turning your head and looking back before changing lanes
• Signaling the proper distance before turning

5. Obeying traffic signals and signs

• Turning into the proper lane without cutting the lane or going wide into the improper lane
• Scanning carefully for signs, signals, pedestrians, and other vehicles, yielding and taking the right-of-way correctly

6. Stopping

• Stop smoothly and at the right spot
• Stop quickly and safely in an emergency

7. Backing up

• Look over your right shoulder
• Back in a straight line
• Have complete control of your car

8. Judging distance, do you stay a safe distance away from:

• Other cars when following or passing, or
• People walking or riding on the roadway

9. Respectful driving

• Courteous to other drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists
• Pay full attention to the driving task

10. Performing specific maneuvers, can you complete the following:

• Arm signals for right/left turn and slow or stop (you may use your arm signals during the test)
• A brake reaction test/emergency stop
• Parking on a hill
• Parallel parking
• Simulating backing out of a driveway or alley into traffic using a corner