Pass or fail
0 critical errorsAny single critical error ends the test as a fail.
15 or fewer errorsManeuver errors are tallied. 16 or more is a fail.
Pre-drive checkMissing more than 3 items can end the test before you leave the lot.
Pre-drive safety check
The examiner stands outside and asks for several of these. Practice each without looking.
- Left turn arm signal (arm straight out)
- Right turn arm signal (arm bent up)
- Stop / slow arm signal (arm bent down)
- Left and right turn signals
- Brake lights (press the pedal)
- Horn
- Front defroster (and rear)
- Emergency flashers
- Headlights (and high beams)
- Windshield wipers
- Parking brake (set and release)
- Driver window rolls down
Bring and check the car
- Permit, appointment and ID
- Current registration and proof of insurance
- Licensed driver to bring you
- Two license plates, no warning lights on
- Working brake lights, signals, horn
- Two rearview mirrors, seatbelts work
- Passenger door opens from inside and out
- Clear windshield, adequate tires
Critical errors (automatic fail)
- Examiner has to intervene, verbally or physically
- Hitting a car, object, pedestrian or the curb hard
- Running a red light or stop sign
- 10+ mph over the limit, or far too slow for traffic
- Not yielding to a pedestrian or right-of-way
- Wrong side of the road, or wrong way on a one-way (Fell runs west, Oak runs east)
- Driving more than 200 ft in a bike lane
- No head check when turning across a bike lane
- Any dangerous maneuver that forces others to brake
Common maneuver errors
- Rolling stop, or stopping past the limit line
- Not scanning left-right-left at intersections
- Signal missing, wrong, or under 100 ft before a turn
- No blind-spot check on turns and lane changes
- Turning from the wrong lane, or swinging wide
- Signal left on after a lane change
- Following closer than 3 seconds
- Bumping the curb, or rough braking
- Driving with the parking brake on
Lot exercises
- Drive straight between the lines, then stop
- Back up straight about 3 car lengths at walking pace, looking over your right shoulder the whole time
Habits to drill on every practice run
- Stops: full stop behind the line, count 3, scan left-right-left, creep if blocked.
- All-way stops: first to stop goes first. Ties go to the car on the right.
- Signals: at least 100 ft before every turn and lane change.
- Right turns: mirror, right head check for bikes, merge into the bike lane within 200 ft.
- Left turns: from the leftmost lane, wheels straight while waiting, finish in the nearest lane.
- Speed: 25 mph on most route streets, 20 on Divisadero south of Golden Gate, 15 where posted on the Alamo Square hills and at blind intersections.
Have your passenger tally errors on the route sheet while you drive, then copy the totals here.
| Date | Route | Time of day | Critical | Errors | What to fix next time |
|---|