Tips from our instructors to help you pass with confidence — from Today’s Driving School
Failing your driving test can feel discouraging—but it's more common than most people realize. The good news? Many of the most frequent reasons for failure are avoidable with the right preparation and mindset.
At Today’s Driving School, we work closely with students every day to help them build safe driving habits and the confidence they need to pass. Below, we’ve compiled a list of 10 common mistakes people make when they fail their road test—and our tips for how to avoid them.
1. Failure to Come to a Complete Stop
The issue: Rolling stops at stop signs or red lights.
How to avoid it:
Always come to a full and complete stop behind the line or crosswalk. Count to three in your head if it helps. Examiners want to see that you’re respecting all traffic signs—not rushing through them. You are not rushing through intersections. Take your time, and be sure to scan both directions before proceeding.
2. Failure to Check Mirrors and Blind Spots
The issue: Failure to check mirrors and look over your shoulder before changing lanes.
How to avoid it:
Make sure your mirror and shoulder checks are deliberate and visible. Your examiner should be able to tell you are looking into your blind spots and are aware of other drivers and potential conflicts when turning or changing lanes.
3. Failure to Drive an Appropriate Speed
The issue: Not maintaining proper speed—either going over the limit or being overly cautious and driving too slowly.
How to avoid it:
Stay within 1–3 mph of the posted limit when possible.Keep up with the flow of traffic without exceeding the speed limit. Always watch for speed limit signs so you know what the speed limit is. If you are uncertain, fall back to default speeds. In town drive 30mph, slow to 20mph in school zones, on highways drive 55mph, and 70mph on the interstate. Remember to slow down when driving in a construction zone.
4. Improper Lane Changes
The issue: Changing lanes without signaling or checking blind spots.
How to avoid it:
Remember the acronym S.M.O.G.: Signal, Mirror, Over the Shoulder, and Go. This is a critical skill for safe driving, and it It should be second nature by test day.
5. Poor Steering Control
The issue: Oversteering, understeering, or not keeping both hands on the wheel consistently.
How to avoid it:
Keep your hands at the 9 and 3 o’clock or 8 and 4 o’clock position’s—whichever is more comfortable foryou. Use smooth, controlled movements. Always grip the wheel with both hands avoiding steering with your finger or palm of your hand. Do not let the wheel spin freely after the turn, control the wheel throughout the entire turn.
6. Failure to Yield
The issue: Failing to yield to pedestrians or other motorists.
How to avoid it:
Remember to yield to pedestrians in crosswalks (marked or unmarked) and once they have stepped off the curb onto the roadway. Be aware of the Rules of the Road. At an uncontrolled intersection, or one with a yield sign, remember to yield to other traffic if they are too close for you to safely move through the intersection. If you arrive at a four-way stop at the same time, wait for your turn and let the person to your right go first.
7. Parking Errors
The issue: Being unable to complete a parking maneuver or you knock over a cone.
How to avoid it:
Practice as much as possible with the vehicle you will be taking the road test with. The process is the same no matter what vehicle you are driving, but it is less stressful and easier when you are using a vehicle you are familiar with.
Take your time, most examiners will allow one pull ahead for each parking maneuver to correct your position. You may also bump into a cone, but if the cone moves or is knocked over you will fail the test.
8. Failing to Follow Examiner Instructions
The issue: Misunderstanding or ignoring a direction from the examiner.
How to avoid it:
If you are unsure of any instruction given to you by the examiner, it is completely okay to ask for clarification. Stay calm, listen carefully, and ask for clarification as needed.
9. Nerves Taking Over
The issue: Freezing up, second-guessing decisions, or forgetting key steps due to test anxiety.
How to avoid it:
Practice in a variety of real-world conditions so you are comfortable with traffic being around you. Schedule your road test in a community you are familiar with. Sleep well the night before, breathe deeply, and treat the test just like it is another drive with your instructor.
10. Accumulating Errors
The Issue: Making multiple minor mistakes that collectively lead to failure.
How to Avoid It: Failing a road test is typically an accumulation of driving errors. Sure, knocking over a cone will cause immediate failure, but don’t forget about everything else. Pay attention to what your instructor is saying during your behind-the-wheel instruction. We are not talking just to hear ourselves talk. We are trying to help you become a safe driver, and safe drivers always pass their road test.
Final Thoughts
Everyone is nervous when taking their driving test—but preparation makes all the difference in the world. Practice frequently, focus on developing safe driving habits, and always follow traffic laws. The examiner is not “out to get you”. They are simply observing to make sure you are a safe driver before becoming licensed to drive without supervision.
At Today’s Driving School, we’re here to guide you through every step—from your first lesson to the day you earn your license. We focus on clear instruction, personalized support, and real-world readiness for driving on Minnesota roadways.
Are you ready to get started or perhaps you have a question?
Register online at todaysdrivingschool.com or if you have a question, give us a call at (844) 374-8315.
Jacob Ahner
Driving Instructor with Today’s Driving School
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