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VIC Roads Drive Test

The following information is from VIC Roads brochure VICRoads Drive Test. You can download the complete PDF here:

1 Introduction
2 Overview of the Drive Test
2.1 Test route stages
2.2 Driving tasks..............................................................................5
2.3 Assessment items.......................................................................5
2.4 Minimum assessment required..................................................6
3 Pre-drive safety check................................................................7
4 Understanding the assessment criteria....................................8
4.1 Definitions.................................................................................8
4.2 Types of assessment...................................................................9
4.3 Item codes................................................................................10
5 Task Assessment Items...........................................................11
5.1 Observation..............................................................................11
5.2 Signalling.................................................................................12
5.3 Gap Selection...........................................................................13
5.4 Speed Choice...........................................................................14
5.5 Following Distance..................................................................15
5.6 Lateral Position........................................................................16
5.7 Parking Observation................................................................17
5.8 Parking Movement...................................................................17
5.9 Leaving Parking.......................................................................18
5.10 Turning Movement..................................................................19
6 Stage Assessment Items..........................................................20
6.1 Lateral Position........................................................................20
6.2 Control.....................................................................................21
7 Critical Errors............................................................................22
7.1 Too Slow..................................................................................22
7.2 Fail to Look or Signal..............................................................23
7.3 Block Pedestrian Crosswalk....................................................24
7.4 Mount Kerb..............................................................................25
7.5 Stall..........................................................................................25
7.6 Incomplete Stop.......................................................................26
7.7 Other Illegal Action.................................................................26
8 Immediate Termination Errors.................................................28
8.1 Intervention..............................................................................28
8.2 Disobey Direction....................................................................29
8.3 Collision...................................................................................29
8.4 Fail to Give Way......................................................................30
8.5 Excessive Speed.......................................................................32
8.6 Stop at Dangerous Position......................................................32
8.7 Fail to Stop...............................................................................33
8.8 Other Dangerous Action..........................................................34
Appendix A – Assessable tasks....................................................36
Stage 1.............................................................................................36
Stage 2.............................................................................................37

1 Introduction

The Victorian Drive Test is designed to assess the safe driving skills of learner drivers applying for a probationary licence. It is also used to assess other licence applicants who are required to take a practical driving test.
The Drive Test was developed by VicRoads with the assistance of several Australian and international experts in novice driver safety. The content of the test is based on a series of trials with over 1,300 learner drivers. The test assesses the skills required to drive safely in day-to-day driving tasks, taking the following into account:
Licence applicants are expected to have a high level of driving experience. The Victorian Graduated Licensing System (GLS) requires licence applicants under 21 years to hold a learner permit for at least 12 months and to accrue at least 120 hours of supervised driving experience. The Drive Test is designed to assess learner drivers with this level of driving experience. Learners with less experience are less likely to pass.
The GLS encourages learner drivers to obtain driving practice in a broad range of driving situations. Learners who use the Learner Kit as a guide will have structured their learner period to develop safe driving skills in increasingly complex driving situations. Licence applicants with high levels of experience at night, in wet conditions, and on high speed roads (such as freeways) are more likely to pass. It is important that this type of experience is gained after the learner has mastered driving in less challenging conditions.
This booklet provides detailed information about the Drive Test. It includes the assessment criteria for all test items along with information about the structure of the test. It will help professional driving instructors work with learner drivers as they approach the Drive Test, but it should not take the place of a well-structured learner period that includes high levels of supervised driving experience in a broad range of driving situations.
During the test, the applicant is directed to drive around a fixed assessment route and asked to perform specific driving tasks (such as turns or lane changes) at various locations. The Licence Testing Officer (LTO) uses a set of specific assessment items to record how well the applicant performs each task.
The LTOs have passed a training program on the practical application of the test assessment criteria. The training program provides specific knowledge and skills to enable the LTOs to apply the assessment criteria reliably in a range of different test situations. The information included in this booklet is not a substitute for the training and practical expertise that results from experience as a testing officer.
To assist the safety of licence applicants, LTOs, accompanying instructors and other road users, the Drive Test is divided into two stages. Stage 1 involves some relatively simple, low-risk driving tasks in a less-challenging traffic environment. Applicants who fail Stage 1 are not permitted to attempt Stage 2, which assesses safe driving skills in day-to-day driving tasks in busier traffic situations. In this way, potentially unsafe applicants

2 Overview of the Drive Test

2.1 Test route stages

A Drive Test assessment route comprises two stages. The first takes 10 minutes and involves driving tasks in a less-challenging traffic environment. Stage 2 takes 20 minutes and involves day-to-day driving tasks in busier traffic situations. At the end of Stage 1 the LTO directs the applicant to pull over to the kerb so scores for that stage can be entered on the score sheet and totalled. Only applicants with a satisfactory assessment can proceed to Stage 2.
Stages 1 and 2 of the Drive Test must be undertaken during a single test booking. They cannot be split into separate appointments.

2.2 Driving tasks

There are two types of driving tasks in the test route:
Assessable driving tasks are manoeuvres such as turns, lane changes, straight drives and a reverse parallel park. Each assessable task has several associated Task Assessment Items that the LTO uses to record how well the task was performed.
Linking manoeuvres are inserted between assessable tasks to create a continuous route that begins and ends at the VicRoads Customer Service Centre. Linking manoeuvres do not have associated Task Assessment Items.
The assessable driving tasks used in the Drive Test are described in ‘Appendix A – Assessable tasks’.

2.3 Assessment items

For each assessable driving task on the route, there are two, three or four Task Assessment Items that the LTO must assess and record.
The Stage 1 Task Assessment Items for some tasks differ from those used in Stage 2. This recognises the different functions of the two stages. Stage 1 assessment items were selected for their ability to identify applicants who might drive unsafely in Stage 2. Assessment items for Stage 2 were selected for their ability to distinguish between applicants who are ready to drive safely on a probationary licence and those who need more supervised experience on a learner permit before being ready for solo driving.

Three other types of assessment are used in the Drive Test:

-Stage Assessment Items apply to the applicant’s performance during the whole of Stage 1 or the whole of Stage 2.
-Critical Errors are recorded at any time they occur during the test drive, whether during an assessable task or not.
-Immediate Termination Errors are also recorded at any time they occur and result in the immediate termination of the test.

A full description of all assessment items is provided in Section 5 (Task Assessment Items), Section 6 (Stage Assessment Items), Section 7 (Critical Errors) and Section 8 (Immediate Termination Errors).

2.4 Minimum assessment required

Unforeseen events such as roadworks on the test route may prevent the applicant from completing some assessable tasks. This does not invalidate the test, provided the following requirements are met:
At least five of the tasks in Stage 1 (including the reverse parallel park or three-point turn) must be undertaken before the applicant can proceed to Stage 2.
The test is considered to be complete if at least 17 tasks across both stages are undertaken (including the reverse park or three-point turn, at least two lane changes, and at least one straight drive).
If these requirements are not met, the assessment will be incomplete and a re-test is required.

>>> Full Vic Roads Drive Test Criteria Download