The Biggest Mistakes Young Aussies Make in Their Driving Tests, According to a Certified Instructor

Don’t drive yourself crazy trying to get your license.

This article is presented in partnership with Red Rooster.

On your fourth go and still haven’t flipped your Ls to Ps? It’s a more common experience than you think, and it might be because you’re making one of these rookie driving errors.

We chatted to Steve Kolb, Lead Driving Instructor of DRIVE Perth’s Driving School, to get to the bottom of what learner drivers are struggling with.

Know these mistakes so you can go thrive on the roads, celebrate your license, and go for a victory Red Rooster run! When you get your Ps, Red Rooster will give you free fried chicken, every month, for a year. So, let’s go…

1. Failing to stop at a stop sign.

This one’s an instant fail. And that’s fair enough.

Learners often find themselves either missing a stop sign completely or thinking that hitting the breaks is good enough. But your car has to come to a full stop.

It might be that you’re not used to reading signs on the road yet, or your nerves get the best of you. But this is a seemingly obvious thing that’s notorious for getting wrong.

2. Excessive speeding.

When you’re all hyped up for your test and ready to ace it, your mind might not be focusing on the speed you’re travelling. There are so many other things to look out for on the road that aren’t your speedometer—and speed zones often change!

Get familiar with the zones in the area of your test beforehand. You only need to be going 5km above the limit to fail.

3. Bad practice drives.

Your practice hours aren’t just there to fill your logbook.

“When kids go practice with their parents they’ll be driving on the same straight roads,” Steve told us. “When you go for a drive, it should be structured. Not just driving in a straight line and back.”

You should practice in more challenging areas which might require more manoeuvres or attention to traffic flow. It’ll only make you a better driver.

4. Not doing head-checks.

Head-checks are so important for safety, and your test instructor wants to see you doing them.

You need to perform head-checks “before moving away from the curb; lane changing; merging; at any time when deviating from a path and if moving into the path of another vehicle”, according to DRIVE Perth’s Driving School.

5. Focusing on the wrong things.

Steve told us that students often blame their parking for why they failed a test.

But a lot of the time, it’s the smaller things that add up.

“People think they fail for parking. They worry about it because it’s the most obvious thing you can do wrong.

“But you’re allowed to make a certain amount of mistakes—just once you go over that amount and fail a column of criteria, then you fail.

“Minor mistakes build up gradually, whereas major mistakes are immediate.” He said.

6. Not understanding the test criteria.

Leading on from the last mistake, it’s so important to know what you’re actually being tested for.

“If you know that you’ve done the set criteria, you’ll be okay.” Steve reassured us.

Make sure you understand how things add up, what’s essential criteria, and what’s not.

7. Not keeping a positive attitude.

Driving tests can be so stressful, and for a lot of people it can cause really bad nerves and anxiety.

Just remember you will be able to pass it one day. And the more prepared you are before heading to the driving centre again, the more likely that day will be the day.

Keep in mind all the positive things that having your license will bring: being independent, going to your mate’s places any time, heading to the beach when you’re bored, and of course, grabbing some tasty treats.

When you get your Ps, Red Rooster has the ultimate “woohoo” for you—free fried chicken, every month for a whole year. Yes, you read that correctly.

If that’s not motivation enough, we don’t know what is. Check out the deal here, add it to your driving vision board, and get practicing!