Teenage Dream: Getting Your Driver’s License

There is a seminal moment in the life of every American teenager, and that is when we are finally able to obtain the freedom of our driver’s license.

In most states, that moment comes at the tender age of sixteen when we’re barely able to make a decision to save our own lives, but we’re considered responsible enough to man the massive machinery that is a car. Whether or not we’re actually ready, the state says we are and parents have to acquiesce to our pleas and allow us to get behind the wheel.

Different States; Different Rules

In most states, potential drivers must pass a permit test before they’re allowed behind the wheel. The permit test is pretty straight forward and asks questions that should be common knowledge if a future driver studies well enough. The test consists of multiple-choice questions about the rules of the road, what specific signs mean, and what to do in specific real-world situations. In order to obtain the permit, test takers must answer a certain percentage of the questions correctly, and fill out the requisite forms. From then on, the ball starts rolling toward the final on-the-road test, and freedom is so close we can almost taste it.

The Test for a Driver’s License

The behind the wheel test is very similar in most metropolitan areas and consists of several different small tests that are all scored to make the final decision about whether or not you’re about to become a licensed driver. There are certain parts of the test that a driver must pass or you will fail immediately. In most areas, the parallel parking portion of the test is one of the parts that is graded pass or fail, and there is little leniency associated with this portion.

Parking is Important

Depending on the area, the parallel parking portion may be conducted at the very beginning of the exam. The rationale behind testing this way is so the instructor doesn’t waste his or her time with the rest of the test since you’ll fail if you can’t park between two cones. The best way to prepare for this part of the test is to measure fifteen feet between two objects. Use the family garbage cans if you have to, but practice, practice, practice. This is one of those skills that most drivers claim to forget as soon as the test is over, but you have to know it in order to pass the test.

More Testing for the Driver’s License

If this is the first part of the test and you pass, you’ll proceed to the actual driving portion. Your DMV instructor will ask you to perform several different types of turns as you’re exiting the parallel parking spot, including the 3 point, or K turn. Then they will have you proceed to the local loop they’ve selected for the test. What many people don’t realize is that they’re looking for the things that seasoned drivers stop doing as soon as we’re licensed. They look at hand positioning, signaling, and whether or not you’re using your mirrors properly.

Don’t Get Nervous with the Instructor

Once you’re out on the road, the instructor will watch you like a hawk to make sure that you’re practicing all of the little driving nuances that are necessary to pass. They want to make sure that you’re thoroughly examining each situation before you launch into it. They will ask you to make several turns, typically one left and one right. They will likely ask you to merge into traffic, all the while ensuring that you’ve checked your mirrors and made sure that it was safe to proceed. They are watching every single move you make, so make sure you’re obeying every law to the letter.

Get Ready for that Driver’s License Photo

After you’ve performed each section of the test, the instructor will have you return to the testing facility. It is there that they will tabulate your score, and determine your future as a licensed driver. This will seem like the longest thirty seconds of your life, as they look things over. It will feel like an hour and a half, but it’s the best three seconds when the instructor informs you that you’ve passed and you get to proceed to take the worst photo you’ll ever take and be forced to carry around for years.