Drive Test Criteria – Critical Errors

Too Slow

Recorded if

The applicant travels at 10km/h or more below the speed limit for a substantial part of either stage.
The applicant remains stationary without reason for more than 5 seconds when:
- at traffic lights, the applicable signal has turned green, or
- at a Stop or Give Way sign, all vehicles to which the applicant is required to give way have cleared the intersection, or
- vehicles queued in front of the applicant have moved off
The applicant stops unnecessarily before driving through a pedestrian/children’s crossing when there are no pedestrians on or approaching the crossing.

Exception

The applicant is not penalised for travelling at 10km/h or more below the limit for a substantial part of the stage if conditions (e.g. wet or unsealed road, or in congested or slow traffic) make it unsafe to travel closer to the speed limit.

Explanation

Drivers who unnecessarily stop or travel too slowly increase traffic congestion and frustration to other drivers, potentially leading to unsafe behaviour by others.

This item should only be recorded once in each stage, if relevant.

Fail to Look

Recorded if

Before pulling out, the applicant does not check the mirrors and head check.
Before diverging by at least a car width, the applicant does not check the mirrors and head check.
When fully or partially changing lanes, the applicant does not check the mirrors and head check before crossing the lane boundary.
When required to give way, the applicant fails to look for traffic before going.

Example 1

Observed behaviour: The applicant turns left at a Give Way sign. There is no conflicting traffic, but she approaches and turns at a speed that would make it impossible to assess potential hazards or conflicting traffic.

Assessment: In a situation where the applicant would be required to give way, she must visually check for traffic. Her speed during the turn was such that it would not be possible to assess potential conflicts. A Critical Error (Fail to Look) should be recorded.

Example 2

Observed behaviour: The applicant intends to proceed straight ahead through a cross- intersection controlled by a Stop sign. He stops correctly at the Stop sign, checks for traffic from the right, but fails to check for traffic approaching from the left before proceeding. There is no traffic approaching from the left.

Assessment: In a situation where the applicant would be required to give way, he must visually check for traffic. A Critical Error (Fail to Look) should be recorded.

Fail to Signal

Recorded if

Before pulling out from a parked/stationary position, the applicant fails to signal.
When diverging to stop at the kerb or roadside, the applicant fails to signal.
Before diverging by at least the width of the car, the applicant fails to signal.
When fully or partially changing lanes, the applicant fails to signal before crossing the lane boundary.
When turning at an intersection, the applicant fails to signal

Exceptions

A Critical Error (Fail to Signal) isn’t recorded if an applicant doesn’t signal before leaving a roundabout where practical. Record a No for Signalling if during an assessable task.

If the applicant signals when required but not correctly (e.g. the signal is not activated soon enough or is cancelled too soon), a Critical Error (Fail to Signal) should not be recorded. No should be recorded for Signalling if during an assessable driving task.

Example

Observed behaviour: The applicant turns right from a right-turn-only lane without giving any turn signal. No other road user takes evasive action.

Assessment: A signal is always required when turning, regardless of the lane markings or the presence of other road users. A Critical Error (Fail to Signal) should be recorded.

Block Pedestrian Crosswalk

Recorded if

The applicant stops partly on a children’s, pedestrian, or marked foot crossing.

Exception

There is no penalty for stopping on a crosswalk if it is necessary to do so to view approaching traffic before completing a turn (see Figure 24). However:
- If more than 1 vehicle is queuing to make the turn, this exception applies only to the first vehicle in the queue (see Figure 25).
- Before stopping on the crosswalk, the applicant must take all reasonable care to ensure that no pedestrian has to take evasive action.

Explanation

For the safety of pedestrians a driver should not stop a vehicle in a position that blocks a children’s, pedestrian, or marked foot crossing. However, in some cases (e.g. some left-turn slip lanes) it may be necessary for the first queued vehicle to stop on the crosswalk if an adequate view of approaching traffic cannot be obtained before the crosswalk. Victoria has introduced an amendment to the Road Rules to prohibit stopping on crossings except under such special circumstances.

Figure 24: Stopping before the crosswalk may not provide an adequate view of traffic approaching from the right.	Figure 25: The second queued vehicle should not encroach on the pedestrian crossing until the first has departed.

Mount Kerb

Recorded if

While entering or leaving a parking space or performing a 3-point turn, the applicant allows 1 wheel of the vehicle to mount the kerb.

Note

If, while entering or leaving a parking space or performing a 3-point turn, 1 or more tyres contacts the kerb but not heavily enough to cause discomfort to occupants and without mounting the kerb, no penalty is recorded.

Stall

Recorded if

The applicant stalls the vehicle at any time during the test.

Explanation

Stalling the vehicle can lead to potentially dangerous conflicts with other traffic.

Incomplete Stop

Recorded if

At a Stop sign, the applicant slows but fails to bring the vehicle to a complete stop (with the wheels motionless) behind, but within 2m of, the stop line.
At a Stop sign, traffic lights or children’s crossing, the applicant stops with part of the vehicle beyond the stop line, but the vehicle does not intrude into the pedestrian crosswalk (see Figure 26).

Example 1

Observed behaviour: The applicant slows when approaching a Stop sign and comes very close to a complete stop at the appropriate position while giving way to a vehicle.

Assessment: The applicant has failed to come to a complete stop with wheels motionless. A Critical Error (Incomplete Stop) should be recorded.

Example 2

Observed behaviour: The applicant approaches a Stop sign and stops with the front of the vehicle projecting 0.5m beyond the stop line. Due to the presence of a parking lane on the intersecting road, no conflict is created with vehicles on the intersecting road.

Assessment: The applicant has stopped, but failed to come to a complete stop at the appropriate position. A Critical Error (Incomplete Stop) should be recorded.

Figure 26: The vehicle on the left stops over the stop line, so a Critical Error (Incomplete Stop) is recorded. The vehicle on the right blocks the marked foot crossing, causing pedestrians to take evasive action, so an Immediate Termination Error (Stop at Dangerous Position) is recorded.

26-critical-error-for-not-stopping-before-line

Other Illegal Action

If a Critical Error (Other Illegal Action) is recorded, the LTO must also record the nature of the illegal action on the score sheet in the space marked ‘OTHER ILLEGAL’.

Recorded if

The applicant performs an illegal action not specified under any Critical Error.

Exceptions

If the applicant gives a turn/diverge signal that starts too late or finishes too early, a Critical Error (Other Illegal Action) should not be recorded. No should be recorded for Signalling if the task is assessable. However, if a required turn/diverge signal is omitted, a Critical Error (Fail to Signal) should be recorded.
If the applicant breaches the Lateral Position requirements, a Critical Error (Other Illegal Action) should only be recorded if the applicant:
turns from a lane marked for straight-through traffic only, or
drives straight from a lane marked for turning traffic only, or
drives for more than 50m in (or partly in) a bicycle lane, or
drives for more than 50m on (or partly on) the wrong side of the road.

For all other breaches of the Lateral Position requirements, a Critical Error (Other Illegal Action) should not be recorded.

If, when pulling over at the end of Stage 1, the applicant stops very close to (but not blocking) a driveway, a Critical Error (Other Illegal Action) is not recorded.

Example 1

Observed behaviour: The applicant turns right from a lane marked for straight-through traffic only. No other road user needs to take evasive action.

Assessment: Disobeying arrows painted on the road surface contravenes the road rules. A Critical Error (Other Illegal Action) should be recorded.

Example 2

Observed behaviour: The applicant turns right from a lane marked for straight-through traffic only. A vehicle in the lane to the right must slow down to avoid a collision.

Assessment: Because a road user had to take evasive action, record an Immediate Termination Error (Other Dangerous Action), not a Critical Error (Other Illegal Action).

Example 3

Observed behaviour: The applicant approaches a green traffic signal, which turns yellow while the applicant is still far enough away to stop safely. The applicant proceeds through the intersection while the signal is yellow. No other road user is affected.

Assessment: Drivers are required to stop at a yellow traffic signal if they can do so safely. The applicant has failed to comply, record a Critical Error (Other Illegal Action).

Figure 27: Overtaking on the left is not permitted on roads with only one marked lane for the applicant’s direction of travel, so a Critical Error (Other Illegal Action) is recorded. (Note: ‘P’ indicates a parked vehicle.)