There are 4 main reasons why people fail their driving test in Australia:
1. Failing to stop at a stop sign:
Many students fail their driving tests, because they don't come to a FULL stop at the stop sign. A lot of people just SLOW DOWN. Remember slowing down and coming to a full stop are two different things. In order for students to make sure that they really stop at the stop sign, it's advisable (but not the law) to count from 1 to 3 (1...2...3...) after coming to a FULL stop at any stop sign. That way they don't make the mistake of ROLLING at the stop sign.
2. Failing to give way at a give way sign:
Many students fail their driving tests just because of not slowing down and not properly checking the road where there is a 'Give Way' sign. Remember when you face a 'Give Way' sign, you need to slow down, check the road and if it's clear get to the road and if it's not clear, you need to STOP and give way to the other cars and then get to the road.
3. Speeding:
According to the new law, there is zero tolerance for speeding in Queensland. Speeding usually happens in:
a) School Zones,
Where the speed limit is 40 km/h. Remember school zone is a ZONE and sometimes it might go for a kilometer. School zone is finished when you see a different speed limit sign. You need to look for the sign to identify the start and finish of school zones and drop your speed to no more than 40 km/h all the way through the school zones. School zones also have timing. In QLD, school times are Monday to Friday, usually from 7am- 9am in the morning and 2pm- 4pm in the afternoon. In some areas it is all the way through the day from 7am- 4pm.
b) 50 km/h Zones,
There are many 50 speed zones around. In residential areas where there is no speed limit sign, the speed limit is 50. In residential areas you don't have to necessarily drive 50. Your speed depends on the road conditions.
There are a few factors that affect our speed in residential areas, some of which are:
A) Narrow Roads
B) Sharp Bends
C) Many Pedestrians are around
D) Hilly Roads
E) Many Cars Parked
In residential areas when you drive downhill, you need to watch your speed too. Failing in a 50 zone downhill is one very common reason many people fail their driving tests. You need to keep monitoring your speed and avoid pushing accelerator too much; sometimes you even need to push the brake to be able to control your speed.
4. Driving in the wrong direction:
The international migrants who drive on the right side of the road in their own countries, usually make this mistake when they move to Australia. This can be a VERY CRITICAL and life threatening mistake. This issue can be overcome by time. The more you observe other drivers, the structure of the roads and signs here in Australia, the sooner you get used to the different driving style here. During our driving lessons, we talk about some strategies and tips you can use to help you stay on the correct side of the road ALL THE TIME.
Have you booked your driving test at Greenslopes CSC? Great! Find out how to pass your driving test at Greenslopes first try here.
If you want a more extensive list of the reasons for failing a driving test, check our newest article on 34 common reasons for failing a driving test.
P.S feel free to join our private Facebook group, where you are surrounded by a supportive community of learners and graduates from all over Australia to help you with your driving journey.
Good luck with your test!