Thursday, March 20, 2008

Turn Right the Right Way to Pass Your Road Test

by Nadav Snir

For experienced drivers, they are easy. For driving students taking their driving test, they can be a disaster: right turns. They seem very easy: you signal, look in the mirrors, and turn the wheel. But in reality, right turns are often done very wrong.
Signaling is a way of telling other drivers what you are about to do. When you turn right, you need to signal to other drivers about your intentions. However, some drivers don't do that and trust their luck and the experience of other drivers. Not signaling is dangerous since other drivers may be surprised by your sudden brake before the turn. During the driving test, not signaling is often only a minor error, but repeating that mistake will cost you the test.
Another "test killer" during the road test is the red light turn. Some areas, like the United States, allow you to turn right against a red light. This is a very smart way of traffic flow. However, it requires a complete stop before it. Many driving students fail to make a complete stop before the intersection and "slide" into it. The result is a major error and a new test.
Traffic lights are also a problem when they are green. Some driving students, out of fear and lack of confidence, stop before turning on a green light. They can't estimate the speed needed to turn safely, so they stop and then proceed. This causes a problem of traffic flow and surprises drivers behind the student. It is sometimes a minor error only, but some areas consider it as a critical error.

Improper scanning is a really serious problem with drivers. When they approach the turn they don't look where they turn, and if there is a pedestrian or a parked car in there they are surprised. Surprises on the road can be very dangerous, and surprises on the driving test often lead to an unsurprising result of failing.
A big issue with many drivers is too tight turns. When they turn right they don't keep a sufficient distance from the curb and often hit it. This is almost always a critical error and a wait for a re-test.
Right turns can be done well with practice. It's great to practice with a parent or friend, but you need a good guide to make your right turns good enough for the test.

About the author:
Nadav Snir is an experienced driver, driving since the age of 15.5. He passed his first driving test in California at the age of 16. You can see more information about the driving test at his site: http://Great-Info-Products.com/DriveTest/index.html.
You can find guides for practicing your right turns at the Pass Your Road Test section of Great-Info-Products.com. They are all well worded and each of them has a specific chapter for right turns.

No comments: