How to Pass Driving Road Test Ontario
How to pass Driving road test Ontario: Stress and panic is a common companion of driving road test, especially the first time for G2 license. We all been there, a lot of us failed first time and had to take driving test twice, or thrice. Generally, 40% of drivers fail G2 and 30% fail G-full road test for the first time.
However, passing driving road test is necessary as you cannot drive in Ontario without a valid driver’s license (not legally at least). In Ontario it takes a year and a half to take your driver’s license after 16 years old. Ministry Of Transportation Ontario Drivers Handbook, in case you need it. All Ontario driving license classes are valid for 5 years.
Fees for Ontario license road tests cost $91. If you fail, then you need to wait 10 days before taking another road test. You can book a driving road test online at Ontario Drive Test Website.
Ontario Driving License Types
- Ontario G1 License
To obtain G1 license you have to pass written knowledge exam about road rules, road signs, vehicle operation, road and driving safety. Also, G1 license requires a vision test. G1 license is issued one year after successfully passing written exam and allows driving but with conditions and restrictions.
Driving alone is prohibited, must have zero alcohol level and cannot drive between 12am to 5am. A fully licensed driver (G full license) with minimum 4 years driving experience should be present in the car, all the time. Driving on 400 series highways is prohibited, you can drive only on secondary roads with G1 license.
- Ontario G2 License
Ontario G2 license needs a driving Road Test. A period of one year is required prior to being able to take G2 license road test after successfully acquiring G1 license. You can drive alone after acquiring G2 license. However, for first six months number of passengers is limited to one for drivers under 19 years old (night driving only). G2 license road test does not need highway testing skills, it will take place only on secondary roads.
- Ontario G-Full License
G full license also need a Road Test, with highway driving and complete proving of driving skills. You can take G-full road test 12 months after your G2 license. G-full license allows driving of cars, minivans, pickup trucks up to 11 tons total which includes 4 tons of towing. Pretty much you can drive anything on the road except commercial or transport trucks.
Ontario Driving Road Test Tips
In Canada, US and most countries, driving test examiner will not ask you to anything which does not conform to driving regulations and laws. You should obey anything driving test examiner asks you to do during road test.
(If you are also looking for a fast and easy solution to sell your car, more here on “How To Sell Your Car Fast In Ontario” )
Before You Start Road Test
Check and double check everything is working properly. Check wipers and make sure you have windshield washer fluid. Operate signals and brake lights to confirm everything is in working order. Adjust side and center mirrors, check horn is in working condition. Turn radio off and you have cell phone on you turn that off too. Don’t forget to buckle seat belt.
Consult Ontario Drivers Handbook
Although you should be familiar already with Ontario Drivers Handbook, its not a bad idea to read it again prior to taking drivers license road test. Drivers Handbook is available online and will help refresh your knowledge about road signs and driving rules. Ontario handbook also has tips regarding road safety and safe driving practices. It will come handy during road test. Paper version of Ontario Drivers Handbook cost $15 and it can be purchased at Ontario publications. Amazon has it too.
Stay Calm (as much as possible)
Stay calm or at least try to stay calm. Stress is always present when taking a road test but needs to be controlled. You are not the first and you will not be the last. Everyone in your position was stressed out when taking a driving road test for the first time. Most will still be stressed out if they take a road test even after they have been driving for 20 years.
Obey Speed Limit
Obey speed limits while taking road test. Do not over-speed or under-speed, keep vehicle speed steady and as close as possible to road speed limit.
If you over-speed chances are you will fail your road test. Under-speeding on the other hand, will lower points too, so keep speed limit in mind all the times when taking driving test in Ontario.
Practice Makes Perfect
Everything that comes natural to experienced drivers is completely unnatural to inexperienced drivers. An experienced driver does not have to think much while driving, it becomes an instinct after a while. So, try to get as much driving experience before you take license road test. Make sure you create enough driving skills and instincts, confidence will follow soon after.
Practice Parallel parking
Parallel parking can be a pain the neck, for everyone. Anyways, you have to learn parallel parking in order to pass license road test in Ontario. Bear in mind, there are people who been driving for a lifetime and still cannot parallel park. Make sure you perfect the technique of parallel parking, it’s somewhat of a robotic technique but not that hard to learn. However, once you learn it then will become natural and look easy.
Obey Stop Signs
Failing to stop on a stop sign or if you make a rolling stop you will automatically fail road test. Stop for 3 seconds and watch road on both sides before proceeding to pass. Also, take it easy when stopping on a stop sign, don’t slam on brakes.
Practice Defensive Driving
Road test or not, defensive driving is important. People make driving mistakes all the time, and most of those mistakes will results in collision if other drivers didn’t take defensive maneuvers. Check your mirrors frequently and keep safe distance from cars in front of you. Try to predict their behavior and be ready for every situation that might occur.
Be Familiar with Road Test Car
Make sure you are familiar with vehicle you are driving. If possible do not take road test with a car you have never driven before. It will be hard to familiarize yourself with a new car in few minutes before starting road test.
Vehicle driver controls are generally similar, but there are some key differences. Wiper controls for example are different. Hazard light button is located in different places.
Parking brake can be hand operated, foot operated or electrical operated. Also, headlight controls are generally different from car to car too. You don’t want to search for these controls while taking road test. It’s better to use a vehicle you know and are comfortable with.
Use Parking Brake
It’s guaranteed you will have to park either uphill or downhill during road test. Make sure you use parking brake, examiner will look for that. It’s not a deal breaker but it will cost you points, and points add up fast. Parking brakes can be manual or electric. Image below shows an electric parking brake control button.
Also, don’t forget to turn your front wheels full left when parking uphill and fully right when parking downhill. If parking brake fail, front wheels will hit road curb and stop the car from rolling uncontrolled.
Change Lanes Safely
Watch your mirrors and decide to change lanes only when safe to do so. You will be asked several times to change lanes, make sure is done safely. Use signals and watch vehicles in front of you. Make it obvious when checking blind spot, move your head so examiner should see it.
Respect Traffic signs
Examiner will check how familiar you are with traffic signs during road test. It’s not all about stop signs and stop lights. You going to encounter other road signs, Yield sign for example. Make sure to navigate as safe as possible, above all do not panic and show confidence in your driving ability.
Driving Road Test Points Ontario
You need to take at least 80% to pass road test successfully. That gives you some room for small mistakes like hands position, parking, not checking mirrors frequently. However, serious mistakes will fail you immediately. You can do everything perfectly and you will still fail for not safely stopping at red light or stop sign.
Common Failures on Driving Road Test Ontario
1) Failure to obey road signs
This is a no brainier, one single failure to obey a stop sign, yield sign and red light will automatically fail you. Even if you perform excellently on everything else. These road signs are considered dangerous to life and property when not handled safely.
2) Anxiety
Levels of stress and anxiety cause students to make mistakes on simple things which they know and perform perfectly when not on road test. Small mistakes will not fail you automatically but will add up and lower your score. Try to remain calm, and prepare yourself, even if you fail its not a big deal, there is always another day. As we said earlier, we all been in your position and failure is part of it.
3) Speed
Driving too fast or too slow will cause you to fail road test. Do not go over or under 10 km/h of posted speed limit. Watch your speed at all times and stay ideally within 5km/h of speed limit.
4) Turns
Wide or tight turns will lover your points and raise you chances of failure. Do not make wide turns, stay within your lane. Watch for pedestrians and proceed only when safe to do so. Tighter turns on the other hand can cause you to hit the curb, that will cause a dangerous situation an be an automatic fail.
5) Lane Changing
If you change lanes without looking at blind spot and without signalling, you will fail. Examiner will look for that as lane changing is very important factor of driving safely. You can not drive unless you perfect safe lane changing and you are able to do so easily.
6) Yellow Light
Do not use yellow light and do not enter an intersection with yellow light. You should stop and wait for green light. Entering an intersection with yellow light is considered dangerous and will most likely cause you to fail road test.
7) Pedestrians
If you turn right without yielding to pedestrians, thats an automatic fail as it is dangerous driving. There should be no pedestrians on the road when you make right turn. Wait until pedestrians have completely passed the road then proceed to turn.
8) Blind Spot
Most students forget to check blind spot when changing lanes. It comes from lack of experience but examiners will test and watch how you perform on lane changes. While blind spot is not automatic failure it can turn dangerous really fast if you change lanes and have a car on your blind spot. Make it obvious, check blind spot by moving your head to make sure examiner sees you checking blind spot.
9) Right of Way
Another common mistake students make is failure to take right of way or taking it when is not safe to do so. Failure to take right of way when safe or taking right of way when not safe can cause a traffic jam, create a dangerous situation and result in road test failure.
Foreign Licenses and Exchanges in Ontario
Foreign driver licenses can operate in Ontario for 60 days, about two months. After that you will have to change to Ontario driver’s license. Ontario has agreement several with provinces, states and countries. If you fall under one of these agreement it will be easy for you, otherwise you need to start driver license procedure from beginning.
If you have a driver license for these jurisdictions then you can do a direct exchange without road test or knowledge test. However, if you come from a place outside these jurisdictions then you have to go thru normal license application in Ontario, including driving road test Ontario, vision test and knowledge tests.
It goes without saying that any Canadian province or territory can do a direct driver’s license exchange and don’t have to take any test.
Countries eligible for direct drivers license exchange: USA, Germany, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Isle Of Man, Great Britain, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, North Ireland, Ireland, Taiwan and Switzerland.
(If you are also looking for a fast and easy solution to sell your car, more here on “How To Sell Your Car Fast” )
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