Driving Test

Shared info and tips about the driving test needed to get a driver's license.

Tips

These will help you pass

Starting Position

Take careful note of the exact position of your car when you first get into it. The test proctor will park the car next to a curb with several evenly spaced color-coded poles sticking out from the ground. At the end of the test, you will be expected to return the car to that exact position - close to curb, but not touching it and behind (but not too far behind) the line marked by one of the color poles. When you get out of the car at the end, the front bumper should be no more than the length of your test proctor's clipboard from the line of designated pole. I'm not kidding. The proctor will actually get out of the car and measure that distance with his/her clipboard at the end of the test. That being said, it is far better to be too far back than to make the much bigger blunder of overshooting the line...

Check for Non-existent Traffic

When getting into and getting out of the car, make an obvious show of checking for oncoming traffic, even though you know perfectly well there is no oncoming traffic on the test course. The same goes for the entire test. Check constantly for oncoming traffic, even though there is none. After getting into the car, adjust your seat, check and adjust the mirrors and fasten your seat belt. When you prepare to leave the curb, remember to signal and check for oncoming traffic.

Also, after you first turn onto main part of the driving course, take it slow at first - there is a blind crossing immediately after you make that first left. Crane your neck and make a show of checking to make sure that no pedestrians are coming as you pass this crossing.

Curves

Take the curves (on the outside track of the test course) slowly. This is how I got knocked out the first time and it's what ended up being the nail in the coffin for another guy who took his test for his second time on the same day that I did and drove an otherwise perfect test. The test proctor will deduct 15 points for taking a curve too quickly - too quickly meaning the testing vehicle leans in any way whatsoever...which means that you should probably slow down to 5, 10 maybe 15 km/h at tops when you hit them.

You encounter the curves a total of 4 times. Taking even just two of them too quickly will result in your failing the test (you need a minimum of 75 out of 100 points to pass).

Keep Left

You will have points deducted if you do not keep your car as far away from the center line of the road as possible (without driving on the curb or grass). Keep left. A tip driving instructors usually give is to try to keep the driver side of your car (i.e., you) situated in the middle of your lane.

Box Turns

Always use "box turns": I don't know how you were taught to drive, but I was taught that when you make a turn, you should (while staying within your turn lane) drift a bit to the opposite direction of whichever way you are turning to give yourself room to take the turn smoothly. So if I were turning right in the US, I would signal, check my mirrors, and drift to the left hand portion of the right lane and make the turn in a smooth arc.

This is exactly the opposite of how you are supposed to drive in Japan. In Japan, the ideal turn is one in which you signal, check your mirrors, then drift over toward the side you are turning (in order to prevent anybody on a bike or moped from slipping in between you and your intended direction of travel thus causing a terrible accident). You then cut the wheel hard to make the turn (of course checking your mirrors and blind-spot once again just to make sure).

For me, it took a little while to get this Japanese turn to come naturally so this is probably what you are going to want to practice the most(failure to do it properly was one of the reasons my test proctor gave for failing the other folks who took the test with me).

Checking the Blindspot

Check your mirrors and blindspot in an exaggerated fashion...but don't be too slow about it (the proctor will deduct points if s/he feels you make your checks too slowly).

For a left hand turn, the order is like this: rearview mirror, swivel head to look at left side mirror, then swivel around to check blind spot. Drift over to the left hand side of the lane. Check to the right for oncoming traffic, then check side mirror and blind spot rapidly again. Turn left.

For a right hand turn, it's basically the same: rearview mirror, swivel head to look at right side mirror, then swivel around to check blind spot. Drift over to the right hand side of the lane. Check to the right and left for oncoming traffic very quickly (swiveling head to the right and left in an obvious fashion), check right blind spot again rapidly and then proceed to make turn (being sure not to drive over or pass the marker in the middle of the intersection indicating by where you must turn).

Basically, this is a performance for your driving test proctor. The checking (and definitely the head swiveling) may not be necessary and it may be very unrealistic, but form is everything when it comes to this test and if you don't take it seriously, the test proctor will be more than happy to fail you.

Complete Stop

Come to a complete stop shortly before the line for 止まれ (tomare) signs and red lights. This is common sense, but most veteran drivers (myself included) seem to develop a nasty little habit of "rolling stops" that needs to be kept in check for this test. Stop completely and wait for a second or two so that you and your test proctor can sit and enjoy the sensation of being fully and completely at rest. "Rolling stops" or stopping over or past the line result in automatic failure for the test (A woman who was taking the test for her second time on the day I took the test got failed for this).

See also

• Written Test
• Getting a Driver's License

Links

• AJET Driving Book