Driving Test-Advanced Maneuvers

Steve Williams: I am Steve Williams with the National Driver Training Institute and we are learning how to pass the driving skills test. In this segment, I want to show you some advanced driving maneuvers parallel parking and three point U turns. These may or may not be required on your driving test depending on the state that you live in. Let's get to it. Parallel parking is one of the most complicated maneuvers you will ever have to do while driving because there are so many steps. Chances are on driving test, you will do parallel parking between cones like we are going to do here today instead of doing it between actual vehicles that you could damage.

The first step is to pull up next to the parking spot and make sure your vehicle will fit. Step two, pull up next to the vehicle in the front position. You want your back bumper even with the back bumper of the vehicle in the front parking position. Now, shift into reverse. Turn your wheel sharply to the right and slowly back into the parking space. When the back bumper of the front vehicle is even with the driver you can straighten your wheels. Continue to back slowly into the parking space. When the back bumper is even with your front tires, turn your wheel shortly to the left as you continue to back slowly into the parking space.

When you brought your entire vehicle into the parking spot straighten your wheels, put your vehicle in drive and center the car in the parking spot. Put it in park, shut it off and you can get out. Three point U turn should only be used as a last resort. If you don't have a side street or driveway you can turn into. If you have to do a three point U turn in the real world or on a test, follow these simple procedures. First check to see that there is no traffic coming. You should be on a roadway with the line of side of at least a half of mile in order to do this. Put your vehicle in drive, start by turning your wheels all the way to the left. Pull forward across both lanes of traffic, bring the front end of your car to the left most side of the road. Now shift your vehicle into reverse, turn your tires all the way to the right, and back up to the right edge of the road. Stop the car, put your vehicle in drive, turn your wheel shortly to the left and drive into your intended lane of traffic.

Those are the most complicated maneuvers you might have to do on a driving skills test. In our next segment, we are going to talk about what you do at the conclusion of the test.