Driving isn’t that hard… once you get a hold of it.
Probably the first time you decided to drive you were a bit nervous, but once you actually lost the fear it got exciting. We know it’s definitely easier to learn the manual part than the theoretical side of driving. A lot of people don’t pass the test the first time and sometimes even if they do, they fail the driving test, having to go through everything once again. But the good news is there are always other chances and better ways to prepare, here are some hacks we know can help you.
Take your drivers Handbook and Highlight it! Some people don’t believe in the power of highlighting and that’s most likely because they don’t know how to do it correctly. In order for it to work you need to read first, then find out the main idea and just highlight keywords that will link you to that main idea. An easy way to find a keyword is to see if that word is repeated throughout a section. Finally, when you’re studying, if you only read the highlighted words, it should make sense.
Practice with Sample Tests. When you were in high school or college you probably did a mock exam before a big and important test. These type of quizzes help you see where you need to work on and measure how prepared you are or not. There are many sites that offer driver’s license prep quizzes but here’s a link to a “Free Illinois DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles) Practical Test”. In this page you can find 16 different mock quizzes that will help you feel ready. You can also choose to do the tests in English or Spanish!
Watch/listen to a driver’s test question and answer video. Not everybody learns the same way. For some of us it’s easier to remember something that we’ve heard than something that we’ve read. That’s why it’s an excellent choice to look for Q & A videos.
Here’s a link to one of those Q&A videos in Spanish, we chose to share it because it has good reviews and comments.
Here's a link to one of the Q&A videos in English.
Don’t take the test if you don’t feel ready. There are a lot of people who fail this test because of the nerves. They enter the car and forget everything or a very important part of what they’ve learned and can’t explain how they did this or that. Psychologically, fear has its ways into our brain and actions. But remember, when you have practiced a lot and are completely confident in your skills, there’s nothing to be nervous about. It’s better to always practice more and feel confident behind the wheel than having a nervous breakdown while the test is going on.
When making a movement always turn your head, don’t just use the mirrors/camera. This is a very common mistake on these tests, we forget that the mirrors and cameras are just there to help us but we actually need to make sure that we can proceed with the action. Otherwise, the examiner will give us less points, because it can be dangerous for other people (drivers, pedestrians). So remember to always turn your head to review your next move!
What happens if your lights don’t work? It’s a tricky question but it has come up in various tests. Remember when this happens you need to use your hands to indicate where you are going.
Remember to park near the curb. We know doing the calculations for the right distance takes a bit of practice, but it’s actually very important to park correctly. Mostly because if you don’t you’ll probably get a ticket for something you could have easily avoided, but also because the rules are made so that other cars can go by without damaging your property or theirs. P.S. Remember your wheels need to point to the curb, not the middle of the street!
About the Speed. Some people automatically fail because they’re either going too slow or too fast. If you keep your velocity range within 5 miles of the speed limit you’ll be alright.
These are all our tips for now, we hope you succeed on your exam.
