Road Skills Test Overview

On the Road Skills Test, the following is expected:

  1. Parallel Parking: Park midway between two standards so that your car is less than 18 inches from the curb.
  2. Backing: Back your car for a distance of about 50 feet, at a slow rate of speed, and as straight and as smooth as possible. Turn your head and look back at all times while backing.
  3. Stopping for Signs or Traffic Signals:  Give the proper hand or brake signal. Approach in the proper lane. Stop before reaching a pedestrian crosswalk. Remain stopped until you can move through in a safe manner.
  4. Turnabout: Turn your car in a narrow space using two-, three- or five-point turns.
  5. Use of Clutch: If your car has a standard transmission, you must preform a smooth and correct shift.
  6. Approaching Corners: You must be in the proper lane and look in both directions.
  7. Yielding Right-of-Way: You must yield to the right-of-way of:
    1. pedestrians
    2. motor vehicles
    3. bicyclists
    4. or anyone else who moves in the intersection before you.
  8. Turning: Get in the proper lane and give signal an adequate distance before reaching the turn.
  9. Passing: Always look ahead and behind to ensure you can make a safe pass without interfering other traffic.
  10. Following: Do not drive close behind other cars. Always watch the car ahead of you. When your car passes a reference point, like a telephone pole, count "one-thousand-one, one-thousand-two." If you pass the same spot before you are through counting, you are following too close.
  11. Posture: Keep both hands on the steering wheel. Do not rest your elbow on the window. Do not attempt to carry on a conversation with the Examiner. They will be busy giving instructions and recording your score.

For additional information on testing rules, download the DDS Driver's Manual.