by Diana Claude

Created on: September 11, 2009

When a teenager fails his driving test it can be a blow to his self esteem, He or she does not want to be the only one in his class to fail. A lot of kids rush into the test simply because they have turned 16 and they feel it is a right of passage for them. Some kids need more time to work on their skills and test before they are ready. He shouldn't blame himself if he fails; it simply means that he needed "More Time" to get ready. Some kids have very full school work loads or work after school. They may participate in sports and the pressure to perform can be incredible. It's amazing how many kids are sleep deprived, they often function on 5 or 6 hours a night. This can impact their ability to think clearly.

When I was a driving instructor I would rehearse the kids for the driving test. We would use the same checklist that the DMV uses so he would be familiar with what would take place. He or she would already have a routine for preparing himself to drive and be familiar with the area that they would be testing in. We found that the boys were pretty good at driving especially if their parents had been working with them. If they failed they usually failed the written part of the exam. Most of the time they failed the driving part for running a red light. I.E having a heavy foot. The girls would usually do very well on the written test but would be nervous or anxious behind the wheel. then tended to be unsure about proper lane usage

The best thing a student can do to avoid being disappointed is to understand that driving is a skill. like any skill it takes time to become proficient at it. Go to a good driving school and practice practice practice. The more you drive with your parents, the more confidence you will have. Have a thorough Knowledge of the driving laws and good lane usage. Practice left turns at intersections and know who must yield. Don't take the test before you are ready. It is better to wait and avoid the expense of re-taking it than to fail. If you need more help arrange with your instructor to work with you. If you do fail, don't take it personally, It was most likely nerves. It took me three tries to get my school bus CDL, and now I drive a Transit bus. Not bad for a woman.

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