How To: Pass the Drivers Permit and Driver's License Tests

 PERMIT: 

What to Study

-- Study the Driver's Manual. Your state should have a digital copy on their website or a physical copy at the Department of Transportation (aka the DOT or the DMV- Department of Motor Vehicles). 

-- See if someone has a highlighted version with specifics that tell you what is important to focus on. I was able to provide this as a resource for my younger siblings as they began preparing for the test. 

-- Use free online practice tests. There are quite a few of simple ten-question tests that will show you types of questions that might appear on the permit test. 

Day of Test

-- You are going to be quizzed on a screen in the Department of Transportation building. You may not be allowed to take your phone in with you, and obviously it cannot be a resource. 

-- Many of the permit tests at locations are automatically set up to make sure that you do not answer any more questions that they need. For example, when I took my permit test in the late 2010s, the ADOT had a 30-question quiz that I needed to get an 80% or higher on. That means that I had room to get 6 questions wrong. So, if I had gotten all of the questions right and got to question 24, it would not make me take question 25. Even I got all of the last six questions wrong, I would still pass. This also means that if you get all of the first 6 questions wrong, the test will not have you continue you question 7. It will let you know that you did not pass and log you out of the system. Personally, I got to question 30, so I am fairly sure that I got the minimum score needed, and I was at risk for not getting my permit. 

-- Know your personal information. Especially for when you pass the written test, you will need to tell them you name, address, eye color, weight, height, and your photo will be taken. You may need to provide more such as a social security card. 

DRIVER'S LICENSE: 

What to Do Between Permit & License Earning

-- Get 20 hours daytime hours behind the wheel with another adult (21+) passenger who is in the family. Check with your state on the specific expectations, but for Arizona there should not be any other passengers who are not family while a permitted driver is behind the wheel. 

-- Get 10 hours nighttime driving experience. Again, each state is different, but Arizona requires drivers to have 20 hours of daytime and 10 hours nighttime driving experience when they come to take their driver's test. 

-- Do you know what you got wrong on your permit test? Study up that information, because that is what you will need the most amount of effort to remember. If you did not test well for that on paper, show that you can test well with the information on the road. 

-- Learn driving skills. Park forward & backwards in a parking spot. Find some parking spots that are on an angle and park there. Learn how to back out of a parking spot, crossing busy streets, turning left & right at lights, and merging into traffic on the highway. Even knowing skills like parallel parking or three-point turns are essential to prepare for before the driving test. 

-- Understand that there is a limit to how much time can pass between permit and license testing. For example, if you earn your permit on the day that you are eligible for it, you will have to wait until you are eligible to take the license test before you do so. This can be anywhere from six months to two years depending on your state. But, if you take the permit test when you are old enough to take the license test, you could potentially go in and take the license test the next day. When I came in to take my permit test, I was told that if I failed the test, I could set up an appointment for as early as the next day to re-take the permit test. This is good news! 

Day of Test

-- Be familiar with the vehicle you are testing in. Don't take a vehicle you have never driven before to be tested in. They will ask you to make sure you know how to step on the break, turn on the headlights, turn on the brights, use the windshield wipers, turn signals, etc. so know where all of those are on the vehicle you are taking to be tested in. 

-- Know the driving specifics. For example, you may be asked to parallel park or complete a three-point-turn without hitting so many cones. What I found helpful was that when I tested, I was told how many times I was allowed to fix what I was doing. If it was not perfect the first time, I had one chance to fix my position before moving on. 

-- Be familiar, if possible, with the area where the Department of Transportation is located. Do you know where there are stop signs or stop lights? Do you know the speed limit of the main road outside of the DOT's parking lot?

-- Know that they have a system. They will be "grading" you on your driving, and giving you commands that you need to follow. The most important thing is to stay calm. Especially if you are not familiar with the area, it is okay to ask questions. Even if it feels unnecessary, like checking your blind spot when you know that no one has been behind you for miles, you still need to show that you know what steps should always be taken.