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So, you're going to the DMV for a behind-the-wheel driving evaluation. Nervous? No need to be. Remember - the examiner is not out to get you. The examiner is not prejudiced against your age, gender, race or religion. If you flunk the driving test, you deserved to flunk it. If you refuse to understand this, your driving will not improve and you should not be allowed on the road with the rest of us. There, your Uncle Bob has spoken.

OK. Are you ready to examine yourself? Maybe you should print the appropriate section of this page and ask someone whose judgment you trust to act as the examiner on a test drive.

The California DMV has two driving tests:

The Driver Performance Evaluation - this is the standard test.

The Supplemental Driver Performance Evaluation - this is the test given to:

  1. Those who fail the standard test three times without having their license revoked for driving in a hazardous manner.
  2. Those who are referred to the DMV under the Potentially Unsafe Driver referral system.

Follow the examiner's instructions. Though the process can be intimidating, decide beforehand that you will relax, be friendly and compliant. They do know their job. Help them do it and you will be better off.

The Driver Performance Evaluation
Approximately 15-30 minutes, depending on circumstances

The Pre-Drive Checklist

For their own safety, the examiner will want to confirm that the vehicle they are about to enter works properly and that you know its operation.

SO - make sure that you can operate all of the equipment.:
Seat belts - Horn - Parking brake - Wipers - Defroster - Emergency flasher - Headlights

  • Driver side window - does it work? It must be down at the beginning of the test.
  • Windshield - Is it free of cracks? Are there any obstructions? The law says that nothing can hang between the driver and the windshield except a rearview mirror. This includes Disabled Parking Placards.
  • Rear view mirrors - Are they in place and functional? You must have a left mirror and either a center mirror or a right mirror.
  • Turn signals front and back - Do they work?
  • Brake lights - Do they work? They don't care about the "cyclops" light (rear window brake light).
  • Tires - Are there four and do they have enough tread to complete the test?
  • Foot brake - When you push on it, it must not hit the floor.
  • Horn - Functional as installed by the manufacturer - no jury-rigging allowed.
  • Passenger door - Do you have one and does it work properly? You must be able to open it from both the inside and the outside.
  • Glove box - Does it close? It can be taped closed, but can't be hanging open.
  • Seat belts - You cannot take the test in a car which doesn't have seat belts. Are they in good condition and functional? If your car has automatic retraction for the shoulder belt, it must work.

If you have 4 or more errors on the next 6 items, you fail without leaving the parking lot. Reminder: You must show that you can operate all of the equipment on the vehicle.

  • Emergency/parking brake - Functional?
  • Arm signals - Do you know them? Remember that they are no longer legally sufficient by themselves. You must use your blinker.
  • Windshield wipers - In good shape and functional?
  • Defroster (front) - Functional?
  • Emergency flasher - Functional?
  • Headlights - Legal? Functional?

The following 8 items are "Critical Driving Errors."
If you do any of the following, the test will be immediately terminated and you will fail.

  1. Cause the examiner to intervene (includes #7 below)
  2. Strike an object
  3. Disobey a traffic sign or signal
  4. Disobey safety personnel (Cal Trans workers, police, fire, or fail to pull to right curb when an emergency vehicle with lights and /or siren activated is approaching from any direction.)
  5. Dangerous maneuver
  6. Unsafe speed - 10 mph over or 10 mph under the posted limit. Under may be acceptable if there are hazardous conditions requiring a slower speed (weather, heavy traffic, etc.).
  7. Auxiliary equipment use - Do you turn on your flashers in an emergency; sound your horn when necessary; turn on wipers when it's raining; use your blinkers for turns and lane changes?
  8. Lane violation - Are you in the correct lane for what you are doing? Left turns from left lane, etc. No more than 2-3 feet from the curb when turning right. Don't drive in the area reserved for parking at the curb.

In The Parking Lot

  • Watch for other traffic, especially pedestrians.
  • Appropriate speed

On the Road

If you accumulate more than 15 errors from here to the bottom of the page, you will fail.

Intersections

Driving Through an Intersection

  • Check in all directions for traffic, including pedestrians, in the following order:
    Left - Right - Rear
  • Appropriate speed
  • Stop only when it is necessary. (I lost points on this when I was 17 taking my first driving test. I wanted to prove how careful I was so I stopped at every cross street, even though my street had no stop signs and all of the cross streets did). This is the seldom mentioned "Failure to Accept the Right-Of-Way."

Stopping at an Intersection

  • Check your rearview mirror.
  • Slow smoothly.
  • Stop completely - no "California" or "rolling" stops - and stay stopped for 3 seconds before proceeding.
  • Don't cross the limit line (the first line of the crosswalk).
  • Don't leave more than a couple of feet between the front of your car and the limit line.
  • Always, when stopped in traffic, allow "The Gap," enough distance between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you that you can see where that vehicle's rear tires contact the pavement.
  • When stationary in the middle of an intersection, remember to keep your wheels pointed straight ahead, even if you intend to turn left. If you are rear-ended with the wheels pointed straight ahead you are safer and less likely to move into incoming traffic.

Accelerating from a Stop

  • Check pedestrian and cross traffic.
  • Yield when appropriate.
  • No "jack rabbit" acceleration.

Lane Change
Proper Sequence is Important

  • Signal with your blinker long enough for other traffic to be aware.
  • Check mirrors for traffic.
  • Check over your shoulder for traffic.
  • Don't slow or accelerate while signaling except as appropriate to merge.
  • Maintain a safe following distance - make the lane change from the same distance behind
    the vehicle ahead of you that you would follow them.
  • Steering control - Make a smooth lane change.
  • Turn off your turn indicator.

Driving in a Business or Residential Area

  • Scan - always be aware of surrounding traffic.
  • Maintain an appropriate speed - Never faster than the posted limit, slower if traffic is heavy, adjusting appropriately to weather and other conditions.
  • Maintain a safe following distance - an least 1 car length for every 10 mph.
  • Stay centered in your lane. Never drive in the area reserved for parked cars.
  • Backing - Though you will not be asked to parallel park, you will be required to do what I call "Parallel Backing." This requires that you pull to the curb and back down the street approximately three car lengths. You will get three chances to get this right. Here is my
    recommended procedure (you might want to practice in advance):

    - Put your elbow on the back of the seat (if bucket seats, put your hand on the back of the passenger seat). If you are not able to do this, at least shift your body so that you can turn and look behind the vehicle. Let them see that you are making the effort to look out the back window and are not relying on the side mirrors.
    - Do not back using mirrors only or by just turning your head.
    - Do not hit the curb or allow the vehicle to drift away from the curb.

TURNS
The following are the same for left and right turns.

  • The Approach
    • Check traffic (scan), especially in the direction you are turning, but also be aware of traffic which might attempt to occupy the same space you intend to occupy.
    • Always signal (I recommend at least 5 seconds on a street, just like on a freeway) before turning.
    • Control your speed - the gauge you want to use is "no centrifugal force"- don't throw the examiner around the car.
    • Be in the appropriate lane for the turn you intend to make. Don't stop next to a 2-way left turn lane in the middle of a major street - enter it if you're turning left. Don't make right turns from more than 2-3 feet from the curb.
    • Stop if safety or legality requires it. Otherwise, don't stop. Inappropriate stops are unsafe because they are unexpected.
  • If a stop is necessary when turning:
    • Check the traffic behind you.
    • Stop completely in an appropriate location.
    • When turning left, keep your wheels pointed straight ahead until you accelerate for the turn
  • The turn
    • Scan - always be watching all traffic.
    • Yield until it is safe to proceed.
    • Steer smoothly and stay centered - do not turn too wide or too short.
    • Turn into a legal, available lane.
    • Right turns into the far right lane only.
    • Left turns into any lane which is available and safe.
    • When there are two turn lanes, be sure you turn into an appropriate lane.
    • Control your speed -- remember - no centrifugal force.
    • Remember to turn off your turn indicator after the turn.

So, bottom line, the DMV expects you to drive legally, safely and appropriately. Seems like a good idea.

Please, if you have suggestions for improving this section of our site after taking the test, send them over.


The Supplemental Driver Performance Evaluation
Approximately 45 minutes, depending on circumstances

The Pre-Drive Checklist

For their own safety, the examiner will want to confirm that the vehicle they are about to enter works properly and that you know its operation. SO - make sure that you can operate all of the equipment:
Seat belts - Horn - Parking brake - Wipers - Defroster - Emergency flasher - Headlights

  • Driver side window - does it work? It must be down at the beginning of the test.
  • Windshield - Is it free of cracks? Are there any obstructions? The law says that nothing can hang between the driver and the windshield except a rearview mirror. This includes Disabled Parking Placards.
  • Rear view mirrors - Are they in place and functional? You must have a left mirror and either a center mirror or a right mirror.
    Turn signals front and back - Do they work?
  • Brake lights - Do they work? They don't care about the "cyclops" light on your rear deck.
  • Tires - Are there four and do they have enough tread to complete the test?
  • Foot brake - When you push on it, it must not hit the floor.
  • Horn - Functional as installed by the manufacturer - no jury-rigging allowed.
  • Passenger door - Do you have one and does it work properly? You must be able to open it from both the inside and the outside.
  • Glove box - Does it close? It can be taped closed, but can't be hanging open.
  • Seat belts - You cannot take the test in a car which doesn't have seat belts. Are they in good condition and functional? If your car has automatic retraction for the shoulder belt, it must work.

If you have 4 or more errors on the next 6 items, you fail without leaving the parking lot. Reminder: You must show that you can operate all of the equipment on the vehicle.Emergency/parking brake - Functional?

  • Arm signals - Do you know them? Remember that they are no longer legally sufficient by themselves. You must use your blinker.
  • Windshield wipers - In good shape and functional?
  • Defroster (front) - Functional?
  • Emergency flasher - Functional?
  • Headlights - Legal? Functional?

The following 8 items are "Critical Driving Errors."
If you do any of the following, you will fail, but the test will continue in order to accurately determine the level of your unfitness to drive.

  1. Cause the examiner to intervene (includes #7 below)
  2. Strike an object
  3. Disobey a traffic sign or signal
  4. Disobey safety personnel (Cal Trans workers, police, fire, or fail to pull to right curb when an emergency vehicle with lights and /or siren activated is approaching from any direction.)
  5. Dangerous maneuver
  6. Unsafe speed - 10 mph over or 10 mph under the posted limit. Under may be acceptable if there are hazardous conditions requiring a slower speed (weather, heavy traffic, etc.).
  7. Auxiliary equipment use - Do you turn on your flashers in an emergency; sound your horn when necessary; turn on wipers when it's raining; use your blinkers for turns and lane changes?
  8. Lane violation - Are you in the correct lane for what you are doing? Left turns from left lane, etc. No more than 2-3 feet from the curb when turning right. Don't drive in the area reserved for parking at the curb.

In The Parking Lot

  • Watch for other traffic, especially pedestrians.
  • Appropriate speed

On the Road

If you accumulate more than 20 errors from here to the bottom of the page, you will fail.

Freeway

Yes, unless you have, or are willing to accept, a "no freeway driving" restriction on your license, you will be required to drive on a freeway.

  • At the on-ramp signal light, be sure to signal a lane change when the light turns green (you ARE merging with the other on-ramp lane, you know.)
  • By the time you get to the freeway lanes, be going the speed of the traffic on the freeway.
  • Signal again to indicate your intention to move into the freeway's right lane.
  • Check your left mirror
  • Look over your left shoulder
  • Merge smoothly, adjusting your speed to match that of the freeway.

Intersections

Driving Through an Intersection

  • Check in all directions for traffic, including pedestrians, in the following order:
    Left - Right - Rear
  • Appropriate speed
  • Stop only when it is necessary. (I lost points on this when I was 17 taking my first driving test. I wanted to prove how careful I was so I stopped at every cross street, even though my street had no stop signs and all of the cross streets did). This is the seldom mentioned
    "Failure to Accept the Right-Of-Way."

Stopping at an Intersection

  • Check your rearview mirror.
  • Slow smoothly.
  • Stop completely - no "California" or "rolling" stops - and stay stopped for 3 seconds before proceeding.
  • Don't cross the limit line (the first line of the crosswalk).
  • Don't leave more than a couple of feet between the front of your car and the limit line.
  • Always, when stopped in traffic, allow "The Gap," enough distance between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you that you can see where that vehicle's rear tires contact the pavement.
  • When stationary in the middle of an intersection, remember to keep your wheels pointed straight ahead, even if you intend to turn left. If you are rear-ended with the wheels pointed straight ahead you are safer and less likely to move into incoming traffic.

Accelerating from a Stop

  • Check pedestrian and cross traffic.
  • Yield when appropriate.
  • No "jack rabbit" acceleration.

Lane Change - Proper Sequence is Important

  • Signal with your blinker long enough for other traffic to be aware.
  • Check mirrors for traffic.
  • Check over your shoulder for traffic.
  • Don't slow or accelerate while signaling except as appropriate to merge.
  • Maintain a safe following distance - make the lane change from the same distance behind
    the vehicle ahead of you that you would follow them.
  • Steering control - Make a smooth lane change.
  • Turn off your turn indicator.

Driving in a Business or Residential Area

  • Scan - always be aware of surrounding traffic.
  • Maintain an appropriate speed - Never faster than the posted limit, slower if traffic is heavy, adjusting appropriately to weather and other conditions.
  • Maintain a safe following distance - an least 1 car length for every 10 mph.
  • Stay centered in your lane. Never drive in the area reserved for parked cars.
  • Backing - Though you will not be asked to parallel park, you will be required to do what I call "Parallel Backing." This requires that you pull to the curb and back down the street approximately three car lengths. You will get three chances to get this right. Here is my recommended procedure (you might want to practice in advance):
- Put your elbow on the back of the seat (if bucket seats, put your hand on the back of the passenger seat). If you are not able to do this, at least shift your body so that you can turn and look behind the vehicle. Let them see that you are making the effort to look out the back window and are not relying on the side mirrors.
- Do not back using mirrors only or by just turning your head.
- Do not hit the curb or allow the vehicle to drift away from the curb.

TURNS
The following are the same for left and right turns.

  • The Approach
    • Check traffic (scan), especially in the direction you are turning, but also be aware of traffic which might attempt to occupy the same space you intend to occupy.
    • Always signal (I recommend at least 5 seconds on a street, just like on a freeway) before turning.
    • Control your speed - the gauge you want to use is "no centrifugal force"- don't throw the examiner around the car.
    • Be in the appropriate lane for the turn you intend to make. Don't stop next to a 2-way left turn lane in the middle of a major street - enter it if you're turning left. Don't make right turns from more than 2-3 feet from the curb.
    • Stop if safety or legality requires it. Otherwise, don't stop. Inappropriate stops are unsafe because they are unexpected.
  • If a stop is necessary when turning:
    • Check the traffic behind you.
    • Stop completely in an appropriate location.
    • When turning left, keep your wheels pointed straight ahead until you accelerate for the turn
  • The turn
    • Scan - always be watching all traffic.
    • Yield until it is safe to proceed.
    • Steer smoothly and stay centered - do not turn too wide or too short.
    • Turn into a legal, available lane.
    • Right turns into the far right lane only.
    • Left turns into any lane which is available and safe.
    • When there are two turn lanes, be sure you turn into an appropriate lane.
    • Control your speed -- remember - no centrifugal force.
    • Remember to turn off your turn indicator after the turn.

So, bottom line, the DMV expects you to drive legally, safely and appropriately. Seems like a good idea.

Please, if you have suggestions for improving this section of our site after taking the test, send them over.