Driving Test Tips - Pass your driving test first time - Alert Driving School Auckland

Hillsborough - Lesson Notes

25/2/2023

Focus On:

Look outward, off the road and always know what is next to you.
Use the flush median when turning right.
Go slow when parallel parking.
Indicate when passing parked cars on narrow roads.
Before changing lanes or merging you must indicate for atleast 3 seconds.

Wiri Lesson Notes

18/2/2023

Key Points:

Parallel Parking - Use the space behind you.
Shoulder Checks - Turn your head 90 degrees.
Vehicle Position - Keep left on wide roads and don't get too close to parked cars.
Moving Off The Road - Check your left blindspot.
Roundabouts - You must give way to vehicles on your right side and in the roundabout.
Ped X - Check both sides before moving through.

Highbrook Lesson Notes

15/2/2023

Key Points:

Internal Controls:

Check dashboard for red warning lights ( Hand Brake Light)
Steering Lock - How to unlock it.
Front and rear demister.

More Searching Required:

Check the left blind spot before moving left to turn left (cycle and bus lanes).
Check your center mirror before braking (cars behind you).
Check your blind spot before merging or changing lanes (cars next to you)
All intersections, check both sides and behind before moving through.
Turn your head, don't twist your shoulders.

Turning:

Left turns angle the car with the road.
Right turns keep the car straight and find the center before turning.
Make big turns when needed and move your hands around when required don't keep them twisted when turning.
Don't lean forward while moving forward. If you can't stop

Gap Selection:

Be Ready before, check both sides while waiting to turn.
You must see atleast 100meters on each side.

U Turns:

Indicate right and recheck your right blindspot for cars coming out of driveways.

Cornering / Curved Roads:

Cover your brake and roll around, speed up gently as you get the car straight.

Parallel Parking:

Indicate left before stopping.
Recheck the right sides, take your time and move.
Use the space behind you.
You have 2 minutes and you can go back and forth 4 times.

Pulling over to stop next to curb:

You must indicate left and check your left blindspot.

Steering / Hand Position:

Keep the vehicle straight, make small adjustments to drive straight.

Foot Position:

Keep your heel on the ground and push with your toes.

Following Distance & Stopping Distance:

Stay back when waiting in a queue.
Double your following distance when behind a truck or bus.

Turning Bays & Flush Medians:

Merge into them, nothing sudden.
Check blindspot before moving in.
Don't brake or slow down for no reason.
Use them when needed.

Wiri Lesson Notes

14/2/2023

Loop One:

Narrow Roads:

Avoid bottlenecks and indicate to pass parked cars.

Roadworks:

You must slow down and adjust your speed when you see cones or construction.
Drive to the road conditions.
Posted a 30km sign you MUST slow down to 30km and stay at 30km till you pass a WORK ENDS sign or different speed sign.

Hazard Identification:

You must state the hazard, where it's coming from and what you will do about it.
Vehicles / People / Animals
Left / Right / Front / Back / Oncoming
Keeping an eye on them / Keep away from them

Pulling over to stop next to curb:

You must indicate left and check your left blindspot.

Steering / Hand Position:

Don't drop your hands when slowing down.
Move your hand when needed.
Don't twist your hands when turning.

Loop Two:

Lane Changing:
Indicate and keep indicating till all 4 wheels are in the other lane.

Stop Signs:

You must fully stop before moving.
All 4 wheels must stop moving.
Pause, check both sides and then move.

More Searching Required:

Check the left blind spot before moving left to turn left (cycle and bus lanes).
Check your center mirror before braking (cars behind you).
Check your blind spot before merging or changing lanes (cars next to you)
All intersections, check both sides and behind before moving through.
Turn your head, don't twist your shoulders.

Steering / Hand Position:

Don't drop your hands when slowing down.
Move your hand when needed.
Don't twist your hands when turning.

Highbrook Lesson Notes

14/2/2023

Points To Focus On:

Steering / Hand Position:

Don't drop your hands when slowing down.
Move your hand when needed.
Don't twist your hands when turning.

U Turns:

Indicate right and recheck your right blindspot for cars coming out of driveways.

Parallel Parking:

Indicate left before stopping.
Recheck the right sides, take your time and move.
Use the space behind you.
You have 2 minutes and you can go back and forth 4 times.

Turning Bays & Flush Medians:

Merge into them, nothing sudden.
Check blindspot before moving in.
Don't brake or slow down for no reason.
Use them when needed.

Roadworks:

You must slow / adjust your speed when you see cones / construction.
Drive to the road conditions.
Posted a 30km sign you MUST slow down to 30km and stay at 30km till you pass a WORK ENDS sign or different speed sign.

Internal Controls:

Check dashboard for red warning lights ( Hand Brake Light)
Steering Lock - How to unlock it.

Manual Lesson Notes

14/2/2023

Key Points:

Roundabouts:

Check both sides and indicate left to exit.
Don't rush to get through

Taking / Moving Off:
Be ready before and check both sides while waiting to turn.

Narrow Roads:

Avoid bottlenecks and indicate to pass parked cars.

Pulling over to stop next to curb:

You must indicate left and check your left blindspot.

Parallel Parking:

Indicate left before stopping.
Recheck the right sides, take your time and move.
Use the space behind you.
You have 2 minutes and you can go back and forth 4 times.

Turning:

Left turns angle the car with the road.
Right turns keep the car straight and find the center before turning.
If you can't see, aim to slow down and be in 1st gear as you approach the intersection.

Stop Signs:

You must fully stop before moving.
All 4 wheels must stop moving.
Pause, check both sides and then move.

Following Distance & Stopping Distance:

Stay back when waiting in a queue.
Double your following distance when behind a truck or bus.

Lesson Notes Flatbush

14/2/2023

Points To Focus On:

Hand Brake:

Don't drive with the hand brake on. Check the dashboard for red lights.

Turning:

Left turns angle the car with the road.
Right turns keep the car straight and find the center before turning.
Make big turns when needed and move your hands around when required don't keep them twisted when turning.

Cornering / Curved Roads:

Cover your brake and roll around, speed up gently as you get the car straight.

More Searching Required:

Check the left blind spot before moving left to turn left (cycle and bus lanes).
Check your center mirror before braking (cars behind you).
Check your blind spot before merging or changing lanes (cars next to you)
All intersections, check both sides and behind before moving through.
Turn your head, don't twist your shoulders.

Steering / Hand Position:

Keep the vehicle straight, make small adjustments to drive straight.

Foot Position:

Keep your heel on the ground and push with your toes.

Narrow Roads:

Avoid bottlenecks and indicate to pass parked cars.

Turning Bays & Flush Medians:

Merge into them, nothing sudden.
Check blindspot before moving in.
Don't brake or slow down for no reason.

Parallel Parking:

Indicate left before stopping.
Recheck the right sides, take your time and move.
Use the space behind you.
You have 2 minutes and you can go back and forth 4 times.

Right Turns Narrow Roads:

Find the center before turning, keep on your side and don't cut the corner.

Left Turn at Give Way Signs with Traffic Lights:

Beware of other coming cars turning right.

Lesson Notes For Takanini

14/2/2023

Main Points to Focus On:

Hand Position:

Keep both hands on the wheel and don't drop them when slowing down.

More Searching Required:

Check the left blind spot before moving left to turn left (cycle and bus lanes).
Check your center mirror before braking (cars behind you).
Check your blind spot before merging or changing lanes (cars next to you)
All intersections, check both sides and behind before moving through.

Right Turn Narrow Roads:

Find the center before turning, keep on your side and don't cut the corner.

Parallel Parking:

Indicate left before stopping and recheck the right side before moving.

Narrow Roads:

Avoid bottlenecks and indicate to pass parked cars.

U Turns:

Indicate right and recheck your right blindspot for cars coming out of driveways.

Pulling over to stop next to curb:

You must indicate left and check your left blindspot.

Railway and Pedestrian Crossing:

Check both sides before crossing and make sure there is enough room on the other side. Cover your brake and roll over.

Vehicle Position:

Overall keep reasonably to the left.

Roundabouts:

Check both sides and indicate left to exit.

Overtaking:

Indicate right and check your right blindspot before passing a slow moving vehicle, Indicate left and check your left blindspot before moving back into your lane.

Wiri Lesson Notes

12/2/2023

Key Points:

More Searching Required:
Check left blind spot before moving left to turn left (cycle and bus lanes).
Check your center mirror before braking (cars behind you).
Check your blind spot before merging or changing lanes (cars next to you)
All intersections, check both sides and behind before moving through.

Roundabouts:
Check both sides and indicate left to exit.

Foot Position:
Keep your heel on the ground and push with your toes.

Parallel Parking:
Indicate left before stopping and recheck the right blindspot.

Dual Lanes:
When turning stay in your lane and over avoid having vehicles in your blindspot.

Lane Changing:
Indicate and keep indicating till all 4 wheels are in the other lane.

Narrow Roads:
Avoid bottlenecks and indicate to pass parked cars.

Turning:
Find the center of the road before turning.

Backing:
You must look back, behind the vehicle. Not just the mirrors or camera.

Curved Roads:
You must keep left. Blind corners you can't see oncoming vehicles and they can't see you.

Stop Signs:
You must fully stop before moving. All 4 wheels must stop moving. Pause, check both sides and then move.

Wiri Lesson Notes

11/2/2023

Points To Remember:

When turning left you must check your left blindspot. Check the cycle lane before turning.
Move your hands and make big turns when needed.
When coming to a corner, roll around and speed up as you get straight.
When doing a 3 Point Turn you must indicate right and check your right blindspot on the third turn.
Remember to recheck your right blindspot when doing a parallel park.
If you are moving more than 50cm left or right you must check your blindspot.
Before braking check your center mirror. Know what is behind you.
Scan the road ahead, looking road marking and layout.
Dual lane right turns, you must stay in your own lane.
When changing lanes, merge into the other lane, don't brake for no reason.
All intersections (green lights) you must check both sides, know what is behind you before moving through and always have enough room infront to not block the intersection.
Dual lane roundabout - you know what is next to you, before entering.
Gap Selection - Check both side and be ready before. Always aim to stop, but as you slow down check both side and be ready to move if it is safe. Decide before the last vehicle passes and you can always change your mind.
Cycle Lanes - Don't stop on them or move into them. (No more the 50 meters)

Glen Innes Lesson Notes

9/2/2023

Immediate Fail:

Right Turns - Don't cut corners when turning and keep on your side of the road. Find the center of the road before turning.

Critical Errors:

Searching Ahead, Mirror Usage and Blindspot Checks - Move your chin, and turn your head 90 degrees to see what is next to you. Look outward and off the road. Check the center mirror before braking.
Roundabouts - Be ready before, look for cover vehicles on your left and in front. Stay behind the white line.
Lane Change - Indicate before moving into the other lane and keep indicating till all 4 wheels are in the other lane.
Merging - You must indicate when needed and always check your blindspot, don't move suddenly into the other lane.

Needs Improvement:

Following Distance & Stopping Distance - Stay back when waiting in a queue and double your following distance.
Green Lights - Check both sides before moving. All intersections check both sides before moving through.
Sharp or blind corners - Nothing sudden, as you approach just let the car roll around the corners. Cover your brake and be prepared to react.
Turning Bays & Flush Medians - Merge into them, nothing sudden. Check blindspot before moving in.
Narrow Roads - Look ahead, avoid bottlenecks and indicate to pass parked cars.
U- Turn - Keep left and recheck your right blindspot
Parallel Parking - Recheck the right sides, take your time and move. You have 2minutes and you can go back and forth 4 times.
Steering / Hand Position - Move your hands and keep your hands on the wheel. Make big turns when needed. Don't twist your hands.
Hill Start - Don't Roll back. Use the hand brake or use both feet.
Left Turn - Check cycle lane before turning, the left blindspot.
Carpark - Go slow and keep on your side of the road.

Wiri Full Lesson Notes

7/2/2023

Points To Remember:

Hand Position - Don't drop your hands when slowing down.
Foot Position - Keep your heel on the ground and push with your toes.
Searching Outward, Blindspot Checks and Mirror Usage - You must look outward. Move your chin left and right at intersections and turn your head before changing lanes or merging.
Hazard Identification - You must say what is it, where it is coming from and what you are doing about it.
U- Turn - At dead ends roads or unlaned roads you must keep left. While on landed roads you must stay in your lane as you turn ( right lane to right lane)
Orange Lights - Don't rush to go through, look ahead and be prepared to stop.
Scanning - You must see atleast 100meters on each side before turning
Duallane Left Turn - You must stay in your own lane.
Dualalne Right Turn - Use the space around you and curve with the lanes/ road marking.
Following Distance with Trucks - Double your following distance to 4 seconds. Don't follow them through traffic lights, Make sure there is enough room on the other side.
Left Turn - You must check the cycle lane before turning ( Blindspot / Head Check / Shoulder Check)
Narrow Roads - You must indicate to pass parked cars.
Right Turn Unlaned - Keep on your side and don't cut the corner.
Turning Bays - Don't brake too hard. You must move in and then slow down.

Takanini Overseas Lesson Notes:

2/2/2023

Immediate Fail:

Keep Left - You must keep left on wide roads.
Right Turns - Don't cut corners when turning and keep on your side of the road. Find the center of the road before turning.

Critical Errors:

Searching Ahead, Mirror Usage and Blindspot Checks - Move your chin, and turn your head 90 degrees to see what is next to you. You don't have to see the whole car to know it's a car.
Backing - You must look back and not just your mirrors / camera.
Turning - You must be able to see 100meters on each side before turning.
Turning Bays & Flush Medians - Merge into them, nothing sudden. Check blindspot before moving in.

Needs Improvement:

Narrow Roads - Look ahead, avoid bottlenecks and indicate to pass parked cars.
Steering / Hand Position - Move your hands and keep your hands on the wheel. Make big turns when needed.
Left Turn - Angel the car and stay on your side of the road.
Following Distance & Stopping Distance - Stay back when waiting in a queue and double your following distance.
Cycle Bay at Lights - Stay back and don't stop on them.