Top 5 tips to pass the Irish Driving Test
The Irish Driving Test is one of the most bonding conversations you can have with just about any person in Ireland.
Everyone has a horror story about failing multiple times and will remember vividly not being able to show the tester how to signal something or how to find the minimum tyre tread depth.
To increase your chances of passing the first time, here are the top 5 tips to pass.
1. Study the Rule of the Road
Make sure you know exactly what all the road signs mean and what the speed limits are for the areas you will be driving in even when there is no sign present. It is easy to assume you will know what is means in the context of driving but when under the intense pressure that the driving test brings, make sure there is no room for doubt as you will be second-guessing most of the decisions you make while taking the test.
‘Do I wait for a filter light or take the turn on the green?‘
‘The instructor is telling me to pull into the side of the road, can I park on those lines or is this a test?‘
‘That nice driver flashed its lights to let me through, should I go even though it’s not my turn?‘
2. Breath!
The driving test is daunting at the best of times. If you are 16 or 66 proving to a stranger you can pass the driving test never gets easier. While there are many factors out of your control on the day.
Will my tester smile?
Will there be school traffic messing up my test route?
What test router will I have to take?
Will other drivers cause me to fail due to their road decisions?
Will I stall on the road?
ALL OF THIS IS OUT OF YOUR CONTROL
The only thing you can control is yourself. Remember to breathe and focus on only the factors you can control.
3. Take Control
There are plenty of actions you can take to ensure you succeed in the driving test.
Every single driving test will start by sitting in front of the tester on either side of a table.
Covering the majority of the table will be images of warning signs and road markings.
You will be asked to rapidly correctly identify somewhere between 10 and 20 of these signs before setting foot in a car.
Getting off on the right foot at the sign identification section of the test will ensure you have not lost any points which can cause you to fail your test.
Ensure that you know all these signs inside out and backward and can correctly identify their meanings and actions will set the rest of your rest up for success.
Road to Success is a brilliant learning tool to ensure you know all your road markings and warning signs.
4. Look under the hood of the car
Look under the hood of the car, seems simple right?
Where is the button/ lever which lifts the hood of your driving test car? . . . . .
Save yourself a lot of panic and find out now and ensure you know the correct way to make the button function, it might require more pressure than you think. The very last thing you want to when ask in the driving test to ‘Pop the hood’ is to be frantically feeling the walls of your car door, under the seat and along all the buttons you can see to try and find the correct one.
5. Documents
It might seem too simple to trip up on, but plenty do. Remember to bring all the correct, indate documents you will be asked for your your driving test as per the RSA requirements.
Your valid learner permit for your test category.
Your learner permit must:
-Correspond with your identity
-Be in date
-Be for the correct category of vehicle for your test.
Be sure the following are clearly displayed on your vehicle:
-A valid, original insurance disc (white background with a green band along the left-hand side).
-This must clearly show the registration number (or fleet name) of your vehicle and the policy dates
-A valid original motor tax disc
-A valid NCT disc
-L-plates on the front and rear.
