Junior Mairead Nunes begins her test by starting her shiny red car once her instructor’s seatbelt is fastened; she confidently pushes on the gas pedal toward the parking lot ahead.
Juniors like Nunes this year can receive their provisional driver’s license after going through driver’s education courses, doing three behind-the-wheel sessions, getting in 60 hours driving and then taking their test to obtain a license. While the driving test is a straight-forward process, test takers consider which of the MVA locations available is best for taking the test.
Test takers begin waiting in a line of cars until they reach the front and meet the instructor. “At the Gaithersburg MVA it was fast and had many people available to test me so I didn’t have to wait too long,” Nunes said.
When the instructor first meets with the test taker they will ask the driver to do simple tasks such as turning on the blinkers, honking or putting the windshield wipers on to see if the car is functioning properly. “The test will include both a closed course portion to test basic control of the vehicle and a public road portion to further evaluate your driving skills,” according to the Maryland Department of Transportation.
Once the check is completed, the driver will be directed to a parking lot to successfully back into a parking spot. The driver is given three minutes to successfully complete this section of the test. They are being tested on their judgement of space, control and use of mirrors and turn signals. “The most difficult part of the test for me was the parking,” Nunes said.
The driving portion follows parking, where the driver will go on a short pre-planned route by the test administrator. At the Gaithersburg MVA there are three possible routes that a driver can be faced with. Junior Molly Eisenfeld took her test in Gaithersburg and said, “I struggled with merging the most during my driver’s test.”
Knowing the rules of the road is crucial before taking your test, like stopping for three seconds at a stop sign or using turn signals when backing into a parking spot and exiting one. It also comes in handy to know that it is not required to turn right on red during testing. “Make sure you stop before the line at the stop signs,” Eisenfeld said.
When showing up to the test, it is vital that closed-toed shoes are worn as well as contacts or glasses if needed, there is at least a half tank of gas and all the proper documentation that is required is in your possession. “New drivers must have successfully completed an approved driver education course. New drivers must also present the completed skills practice log and completed certification page along with your unexpired Maryland learner’s instructional permit,” according to the Maryland Department of Transportation.
While everyone wants to pass their test within one try, that’s not always the way life goes. Students shouldn’t stress too much because a second attempt on the test is given before a student must schedule another test. “Practice beforehand, pace yourself, it’s OK if you make small mistakes; it’s not the end of the world if you fail,” Nunes said.
