Put to the test – New drivers must know basics
For most teenagers passing their road test and getting a driver's license is a rite of passage into adulthood.
It's also can be a nerve-racking experience.
Kim Bartins, a Greater Pittsburgh general manager with the state Department of Transportation, said that learning to drive safely may seem intimidating to some, but anyone should be able to learn with enough practice.
The road test, which all new drivers have to take before earning their license, doesn't look for perfect driving or critique the driving in a subjective way.
“There are no tricks to the test whatsoever. You have to learn the proper way to drive,” Bartins said.
The tester simply looks for violations that would earn the driver points. Each violation during the test is assigned a point-value and if a driver gets 31 or more points, they fail.
“The person who is giving the test could care less if they pass or not. They have seen so many tests, they are just watching for faults, they don't care what he does,” Bartins said.
Some infractions are more costly than others. Not being able to start the vehicle, not wearing prescribed eyeglasses or hitting a curb when parking are worth 31 points — an automatic fail.
Violations such as following too closely, speeding or not yielding the right of way to traffic are worth 16 points, meaning two of these will fail a driver.
Lesser offenses like driving too slowly, jerky or unsmooth driving, or having a foot slip off the brake pedal are worth 8 points each, according to the rubric used by PennDOT testers.
Bartins, who used to give driving tests and was also once a driving instructor, said that the most common stumbling block for test-takers is demonstrating a parallel park, but there are several other parts of the test that commonly trip up drivers.
Knowing the PennDOT driver's manual can pay off, especially for drivers who may have picked up bad habits from watching friends or family members.
When making a turn, either the hand-over-hand or push-pull methods of steering are acceptable. Holding the inside of the steering wheel is not considered safe and earns a driver 16 points on the test.
“The wheel could snap back and break their wrist off,” he said.
Another important part of the test is demonstrating the basic controls, which includes knowing how to activate windshield wipers, turn signals and headlights.
Bartins said some people take their road test in an unfamiliar vehicle and if they didn't take the time to familiarize themselves with the basic steering wheel and dashboard controls, they can fail their test.
The parallel park is challenging for many first-time drivers, and also many who have been licensed for years.
The parallel park course is in the parking lot in front of the Butler driver's license center, located on New Castle Road in Butler Township. Drivers are welcome to use the course to practice any time the driver's license center is not open, which includes every Sunday and Monday.
Though many people learn how to do the maneuver for their test, some seldom use it to actually park and get rusty after several years.
The test also used to require drivers to demonstrate a proper three-point turn. Though it is no longer required in most areas, drivers should still learn it and know how to do it, he said.
Anyone who regularly drives should still practice these, because you never know when you might find yourself in a tight spot and have to get out without damaging other cars or creating a traffic backup.
“There might be a situation where that is the only type of parking that is available to you,” he said.
