(Image Suggestion: A point-of-view photo from the driver’s seat on a typical suburban road. The view should be clear, showing other cars at a safe distance and road signs. The car’s dashboard and steering wheel should be visible at the bottom of the frame.)
This is the culmination of all your training. The road test takes you out of the controlled yard and into public traffic. The examiner will now assess your ability to interact safely and confidently with other road users, navigate various traffic situations, and consistently apply the K53 defensive driving principles.
Your route will likely include a mix of quiet suburban streets and busier main roads, and will involve a variety of intersections, turns, and possibly a request to perform an emergency stop.
Key Assessment Areas on the Road
Moving Off Safely
Every time you move off from a stationary position (at the start of the test or after pulling over), you must follow the full procedure:
- Check mirrors (interior and exterior).
- Check the relevant blind spot.
- Signal your intention.
- Select the gear.
- Release the handbrake.
- Move off smoothly, checking the blind spot again as you move.
Changing Gears
The examiner expects to see smooth and timely gear changes.
- Smoothness: Avoid jerky movements.
- Appropriateness: Select the correct gear for your speed and the engine load. Don’t let the engine labour in a high gear at a low speed, or over-rev in a low gear at a high speed.
Controlling Speed
- Adherence to Limits: You must strictly obey all speed limits.
- Adjusting for Hazards: A key K53 skill is adjusting your speed downwards for any potential hazard, such as approaching an intersection, pedestrian crossing, sharp curve, or in areas with poor visibility.
Maintaining Following Distance
This is a critical safety measure.
- The Two-Second Rule: At a minimum, you must maintain a two-second gap between your vehicle and the one in front of you. To check this, watch the vehicle in front of you pass a fixed object (like a signpost or a shadow). Then, count “one-thousand-and-one, one-thousand-and-two.” If you pass the same object before you finish counting, you are too close.
- Increase in Poor Conditions: This gap should be increased to four seconds or more in wet weather or other poor visibility conditions.
Lane Keeping and Changing Lanes
- Lane Position: Keep your vehicle correctly positioned in the center of your lane. Avoid drifting to either side.
- Changing Lanes: You must use the full observation procedure (mirrors, blind spot, signal) every single time you change lanes. The manoeuvre must be smooth and decisive, without causing other drivers to brake or swerve.
Approaching and Navigating Intersections
This is where many points are lost. As you approach any intersection (traffic lights, stop signs, etc.):
- Check your mirrors to assess the traffic behind you.
- Adjust your speed appropriately—slow down!
- Select the correct lane for your intended direction of travel.
- Signal in good time if you are turning.
- Obey the traffic sign or signal, performing the correct procedure (e.g., stopping completely at a stop sign).
Turning (Left and Right)
- Observation: Perform the full observation sequence before you turn.
- Positioning: Position your car correctly in the lane before the turn.
- Speed: Slow down to a safe speed before the turn, not during it.
- Execution: Make a smooth, controlled turn into the correct lane of the new road. Do not cut the corner when turning right or swing out wide when turning left.
Using Mirrors and Checking Blind Spots
The examiner needs to see that you are constantly aware of your surroundings.
- Routine Checks: Check your mirrors every 5-8 seconds as a matter of routine.
- Pre-Action Checks: You must perform the full mirror and blind spot check before any change of speed or direction—this includes braking, accelerating, turning, or changing lanes.
Hazard Perception and Response
This is the core of defensive driving. The examiner wants to see you identify potential hazards and react proactively.
- Identify: See the children playing on the pavement? The car waiting at a junction? The cyclist up ahead?
- React: Your reaction should be to ease off the accelerator, cover your brake pedal, and be prepared to stop. This demonstrates that you have seen the potential danger and are ready for it.
Stopping
- Normal Stops: When pulling over to the side of the road, perform the full observation sequence (mirrors, blind spot, signal) and bring the car to a smooth stop, parallel to and within 45cm of the kerb.
- Emergency Stop: The examiner may ask you to perform an emergency stop. They will ensure it’s safe before giving the command. When you hear “STOP!”, you must stop the vehicle as quickly and as safely as possible, without locking the wheels and without checking your mirrors first—the urgency of the stop overrides the observation sequence. Once stopped, you must secure the vehicle with the handbrake and then perform a full observation before moving off again.