Are you about to sit your Practical Driving Assessment (PDA)? Then it is a good idea to look at the most common mistakes to avoid on the big day! This is not to scare you, it is simply to prepare you.
We have put together a few errors to watch out for which are so easy to do when you’re trying to concentrate on everything else in order to pass your PDA, here goes...
1. Firstly... STOP SIGNS
For some reason these signs can seem invisible on the day of your PDA. It is very common for pupils to treat them as a normal intersection and if there is no traffic its habit just to keep the momentum going and ease out on to the road without stopping. So to do it correctly you must come to a complete stop! Another tip... in case you don’t see the stop sign, look out for the solid white line across the intersection.
2. Secondly... Blind Spot Checks
As you can see in the picture you have TWO blind spots. It is imperative these are checked frequently, in particular when going from stationery to setting off and during your maneuvers. You must check both sides esp when reversing as anything could be hiding in that blind spot, not just vehicles but a pedestrian, esp in car parks. Examiners want to see you are taking full precaution so make sure you turn your head, looking over your shoulder.
3. Thirdly... Stay at the correct speed
You’ll be surprised at how many people not only speed but actually do the opposite and not go fast enough. Again this is a nerves thing and how your confidence is on the day. Over confident students tend to speed and if you are a nervous driver its common to be over cautious and go under the speed limit, both are dangerous to other drivers. So be wary of this and check your speedometer regularly but most of all know your speed limits and take note of the signs.
A great resource to read is 'How to pass your Driving Assessment' provided by the Department of Transport. This booklet really does include skills you need to develop to pass and other mistakes to avoid. Click on the link to access:
https://www.transport.wa.gov.au/mediaFiles/licensing/LBU_DL_B_PDA.pdf
Hope that helps guys! We aim for our students to pass first time and pride ourselves on staying above WA's average pass rate. It's within our best interest to share any tips and advice necessary to get you through your PDA.
Happy Learning... Happy Driving, aim2drive x