The Psycohology of Passing Driving Tests

The Psychology of passing Driving Tests, is based on upon my 21 years of teaching driving to students like yourself, and physically being in attendance for over 16,000 G2 and G driving tests.

Believe it, or not, 90% of all driver tests boils down to HOW you behave behind-the-wheel for a short duration of time. In Ontario, the G2 tests last for only 15 minutes; the G is a full 30-minutes-long test.  HOW you behave in the test situation depends on HOW you feel, what you think about during the test, what your perception and awareness of the traffic scene, and HOW you input that sensory information into your brain is equally as important as HOW you behave in terms of HOW you react to that stimulus, Your surrounding field of vision, in terms of what you see around you, and then, the examiner will scrutinize your reactions in a very specific manner: this will determine the success to pass your driving test.

This all sounds quite complicated doesn't it?  Well, it's not.  Simply surround your driving-self with the " Force of the 5-W's ":  WHAT is around me?  HOW do I set up my next maneuver?  WHERE should my car be, in what lane, how do I follow the examiner's next direction?  WHAT is the posted speed limit?  WHAT is my actual speed?  HOW do I show the examiner my head turn, simulating attentive caution before every intersection.  WHAT should I be doing right now? (SCANNING the traffic scene every 10 seconds, checking all 3 mirrors on the G2 city test, and every 5 Seconds for the G highway test). Do I LOOK opposite direction just as I am turning?  WHAT lane should I be in? (Remember the right lane is the driving lane, left is only for passing, then you must merge back to the right).  WHERE am I going? (If I miss the examiner's instruction, I must ASK questions immediately, otherwise you'll be blamed for not following directions!).

HOW we feel, is HOW we DRIVE.  If you have a preconceived notion that you will FAIL your test, and you anticipate a negative result, do yourself and your driving teacher a favor, and postpone your test!  Have Good Intentions, Be Attentive; COVER the HORN with both thumbs through intersections, when passing long lines of stopped traffic, or when passing peculiarly parked vehicles, near pedestrians, etc. SURROUND yourself with the winning circle of energy via the aforementioned "5-W's". Be attentive to the instructions of the examiner, and you have the recipe for success!

Similarly, WANTING the PASS with all your might, oddly ends in a negative result.  Have you ever heard the expression, "as soon as I stopped looking for love, it  found me?", OR, "soon after I stopped searching for that job, I had an excellent job offer the next day?".  It seems, that if we invest our emotions into a driving test which tests legalality, and is a practical, logical functioning test, we suffer negative consequences.  Should we have all of our friends and family in the old country rooting for us?  What happens the next day if we let all of those people down?  I've seen hundreds of students literally not care anymore, after struggling with the driving test, once or twice, and now they exhibit apathy towards the test.  NOW the student is ready to get their license.  Try to find a peaceful centering of your mind-body-heart-SPIRIT, and enter into the test relaxed, and of course prepared with adequate practice, I can tell you, it's near IMPOSSIBLE to fail!

Being ready with experience on the road is important, but it seems to account for only 10% of your test success.  How you feel, What happens physically on the test route, and unfortunately the personality of the examiner, all determine the result of your test. COMMUNICATE with the Examiner! Ask questions; let them know what you are thinking in any tricky situation.  Use your horn in any danger, to prevent a jay-walker, to alert a pedestrian that it is their right-of-way, cover the horn with your two thumbs (remember your hands must be a 9 and 3 o'clock on the steering wheel), whenever you go through large intersections, or proceed to turn left through them. Look at ALL 3 mirrors with EXAGERATED head movements every 5 seconds.  ENFORCE the law, again by using the HORN to alert other motorists that it is your right-of-way at an ALL-WAY stop sign.  Only stop ONCE at an ALL-WAY, and then proceed to take your right-of-way.  Be prepared to stop TWICE at a one-way stop (a ME-ONLY stop sign), if you cannot see properly. But only stop ONCE at an ALL WAY STOP.  Trust your EYES, they will see movement quickly, warning you to stop.  TRUST your common sense, or intuition.  Your gut feeling is always correct.  Our anthropological development has taught us to survive!   Be Alert.  Be Aware.  Beware of the other road users.  Anticipate the movements of those around you, and be prepared for the worst possible scenario in the driving field, and have a plan to counteract it.  Is that car slowing to a stop behind me, while I'm stopped at the light?  Is that pedestrian going toward the roadway?  Is that elderly driver reversing down the driveway straight onto the road?  (Use your horn immediately for BAD movement flowing toward your intended driving path), and reason aloud your actions in ANY sketchy situation, let the examiner know WHAT you're thinking! (Active Countermeasures).  TELL the examiner it's UNSAFE to stop, if you end up going through an AMBER light.

These tips will lead toward your successful driving careers. They will allow you to pass the 30-minute road exam. REMEMBER, you've done a lot harder things in your life before;  learning a new language, getting married, buying a house, being interviewed for a job, training for a new job, raising children.  This should be a cake walk for you!  Actively learn to utilize, and employ these tips effectively, dear driving student, and you will SURVIVE the dreaded Driving Test!

My wish for you, is to fulfill your personal goals by passing, thereby enriching your life skills, with confidence, greater skill level of road safety which comes with experience, and enliven yourself spiritually with the unique gifts a driver's license will afford you: a better job opportunity, an easier commute, more freedom of mobility, and the confident knowledge that you have achieved success, now you can apply it to other areas of your life!

Best of luck on your road test, remember, whatever happens, you are still loved by many.  You will only fail if you give up trying.  Einstein once said, "by the act of failure, we are one step closer to achieving our success", if we learn from it.

Jeff C. Pope 

a formula 1 driving school