Category: Learning to drive

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NSW Driving Test. 1. Why You Might Fail Your Driving Test.

NSW Driving Test. 1. Why You Might Fail Your Driving Test.

WHY YOU MIGHT FAIL
This guide shows examples of what you must do to drive safely and pass
the test. However, some actions and behaviours are classed as fail items.
If you do something that gets a fail, your test will continue so that you
can be given a full assessment of your driving ability but you will not
pass the test.

Here is a list of all the fail items along with some examples of how they may
happen on a driving test.

Remember that this is only a guide and if you have any more questions you
should consult the Road Users’ Handbook available from your local registry.

Alternatively, the Road Users’ Handbook as well as the Road Rules can be
downloaded from Roads and Maritime website rms.nsw.gov.au

1. DISOBEYING TRAFFIC SIGNS, SIGNALS OR ROAD MARKINGS
Be sure you have a thorough understanding of the meaning of regulatory
signs, traffic signals and road markings. They tell you what road rules apply
in any specific situation. Examples of this fail item include:

Not stopping at a red traffic light.
This means that all of your vehicle must be behind the stop line.

Not stopping at a yellow traffic light when it is safe to do so.
You must stop at a yellow light unless sudden braking
might cause a crash.

Not stopping correctly at a stop line.
Your final stopped position must be within one metre
of the stop line and with no part of your car over the line.
Crossing a continuous centre line, lane line or
edge line unnecessarily.

Disobeying lane markings (transit lane, turn arrows etc).
Not obeying regulatory signs such as One Way, No Entry, No U-Turn,
Keep Clear and Keep Left.

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NSW Logbook 20. Preparing for the driving test

NSW Logbook 20. Preparing for the driving test

Learning Goal

Make sure you are prepared to take your driving test.

Learning Content
Review each learning goal carefully to make sure you can achieve each one
Get a copy of The Guide to the Driving Test and familiarise yourself with the test requirments.
Book your driving test and make sure you have all of the relevant paper work you need
Make sure you have correctly filled out the log book and will have thr required hours by the time you do your test, including at least 20 hours night driving.

Facts and Tips
You can book your test in person at the RTA/RMS or call 13 22 13 or online.
Make sure your car is fully roadworthy –   tyres, lights, mirrors etc  before you present for your driving test.

Guide to the driving test

Also maybe check out my video page.  Have a look at:

The Guide to the Driving Test.

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NSW Logbook 19. City and motorway driving

NSW Logbook 19. City and motorway driving

Learning Goal
Gain experience driving in complex and busy city traffic and motorway environments

Learning Content
Driving in the city – busy commercial centres
Driving on motorways including –
Using tool booths, e-tags etc
Using on and off ramps
Driving in tunnels
Following direction signs
Electronic signs –  variable speed limit signs
Low risk driving on freeways including increased following distance for speed and avoiding blindspots of other drivers

Facts and Tips
Learner drivers must not drive faster than 90 Km/h and must observe the speed limit where it is below 90 Km/h
Take advantage of situations like family holidays to get some experience driving on motorways

 

 

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NSW Log Book 18. Country Driving

NSW Log Book 18. Country Driving

Learning Goal

Gain experience driving in rural environments

Learning Content

Sealed highways and country roads

Driving on various road surfaces { sealed and unsealed }

Road rules, signs and traffic marking not previously encountered, for example, narrow bridge, railway and stock crossings

Using overtaking lanes

Applying low risk driving in rural environments { managing speed, position, decisions and responding to hazards }

Driver fatigue

Sharing the road with heavy vehicles

Risk of encountering wildlife when driving at dawn or dusk

Facts and Tips
Take advantage of situations like family holidays to get some experience on country roads.
Remember to share the driving. As this is a new experience greater levels of fatigue may be experienced, so change drivers more often.

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A driving test pass at Mount Druitt.

A driving test pass at Mount Druitt.

Hi Cam

Its Gonzalo here.

From yesterday {your 3.oo pm appointment}

I passed my driving test this morning.

The lady from the RTA made special mention of the driving lesson.

Thanks a lot Cam. Have a great day.

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NSW Log Book 17. Driving In Adverse Conditions

NSW Log Book 17. Driving In Adverse Conditions

Learning Content
Gain experience driving in adverse conditions such as wet weather, fog, snow and ice

Learning Content

Review use of windscreen wipers and demisters

Give extra attention to road surface conditions

Increase following distance from three seconds to four or more

Reduced visibility

Reduced tyre grip requires smoother acceleration, braking and cornering

Increased oberservation of pedestrians required

Increased crash avoidance space required to respond to hazards so set up earlier

Reduce speed to repond to the changing conditions

Facts and Tips
A common crash for provisional drivers is to leave the road on a curve. This can occur in wet weather when tyre grip is reduced. Take extra care when driving on wet roads

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NSW Log Book 16. Driving At Night

NSW Log Book 16. Driving At Night

Learning Goal
Gain experience driving at night.

Learning Content
Using the headlights

Using high beam

Use of driving/fog lights

Vision restrictions at night

Avoiding headlight glare from another vehicles, use of anti glare mirror adjustment

Reducing speed when vision is reduced

Facts and Tips
Night driving is a high risk time for provisional driver crashes. Gaining experience now will reduce the risk of a crash in the future.
Fog lights may only be used in situations with limited vision { fog, rain, smoke} . You must turn fog lights off once conditions improve.

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NSW Log Book Building Experience

NSW Log Book Building Experience
By now you have probably developed good car control and traffic skills and you may be understanding and applying the key elements of low risk driving – well done.

Your learning is moving into a new phase: building experience.

Learning Goals

Driving at night

Driving in adverse conditions

Country driving

City and motorway driving

Preparing for the driving test.

Where To Go
At this stage it is important to include a wide variety of learning environments

Make the effort to travel to locations that will provide the required experience

Only attempt move complex situations as you gain experience.

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NSW Log Book 15. Responding To Hazards

NSW Log Book 15. Responding To Hazards

Learning Goal

Protect crash avoidance space by making an appropriate response to hazards.

Learning Content

Change speed by: setting up the brakes, covering the brakes or easing off { pausing from the accelerator }

Change position by: buffering from the hazard or changing leanes.

Checking your mirrors before changing speed or position.

Facts and Tips
A hazard is anything that can potentially move into your crash avoidance space.

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NSW Log Book 14. Decision Making

NSW Log Book 14. Decision Making

Learning Goal

Make safe decisions when joining or crossing traffic, lane changing or proceeding at traffic lights

Learning Content

Left turn decisions

Right turn decisions

Turn across path decisions

Lane change decisions

Check for traffic when moving off from traffic lights

Facts and Tips
Poor decisions at intersections are a leading cause of crashes, especially for provisional drivers. Gaining as much experience as possible with this skill can reduce the risk of future crashes.
A safe gap is one in which you do not cause other drivers to slow down or move to avoid you. When you are crossing traffic you should clear its path with plenty of time to spare –  at least three seconds.
Before you start, refresh your knowledge of give way and merging rules.