How to pass your driving assessment A Candidate`s Guide to the
Contents
1. You must do a head check if there is a reasonable chance of other road users being in the space or moving into the space you are going to take You need to do a head check when turning La T aa IDA SN Although illegal this vehicle could go straight ahead in this lane Merging SA AA Signal What Does Signal Assess Signal assesses whether you let other road users know what you intend to do before you do it Drivers must signal their intention to turn or diverge by indicating for as long as necessary to let other traffic know their intentions In typical traffic conditions and in built up areas you must indicate long enough to give sufficient warning to other driver s and pedestrians Before moving from a stationary position they must indicate for five flashes or five seconds Signalling your intentions should become almost second nature You should not have to think consciously about doing it When is Signal Assessed Competent drivers signal as part of their regular routine when they e turn or e diverge such as when they change lanes merge or leave and return to the kerb Signal is checked more frequently by the assessor when you are performing complex driving tasks This helps the assessor to assess whether you can use the indicators without having to think consciously about it How is Signal Scored When you are leaving a parked position you have the indicator on2. As a provisional driver you have to make the most of your driving experience because you can no longer rely on a supervisor to guide you You can make the most of your driving experience by checking your driving thinking about what you did and then learning from that experi ence Take every possible opportunity to drive with an experienced driver and ask for their feedback on your inforce the skills you started to develop while you were a learner driving This will re REMEMBER Get driving experience and make the most of it page Ap pend IX ecord of Driving Experience This Appendix provides you with a place to keep a record of your driving experience as you learn The record will show you how much and what kind of experience you have had To get a good picture of your experience the record has three parts e Driving Log e Progress Log and e Events Log Driving Log Use the Driving Log to record the amount of time you spend driving with a supervisor When you are about half way through the Log you will be getting towards being ready for your PDA Keeping a record is easy Each time you go driving either during a professional lesson or with any suitably qualified licensed driver fill in the Log to show how much time you spent driving Progress Log The Progress Log will give you more information on your readiness to cope with a wide range of conditions on your own Fill it in at regul
3. completeness of your driving ability and you will not pass if you have not demonstrated important aspects of the driving skill If You PASS The assessor will note that you have passed the PDA on the form and give you a copy Nobody s perfect and even if you pass the PDA it is likely that you would have made some errors during it The assessor will tell you which areas of your driving did not meet the standard If You Don t PASS The assessor will note that you have not passed the PDA on the form and give you a copy The assessor will explain to you which areas of your driving did not meet the standard The PDA form will clearly show you and your supervisor where your performance needs to improve The assessor will also give you some specific information on how you can improve your driving before you take the PDA again How Long Does it Take The driving part of the PDA will take around 35 minutes When you return to the PDA site your assessor will give you feedback on how you went 109 What Will the Assessor Look For During each section of the PDA your performance will be assessed against five PDA items As you would expect there are also some serious faults that can cause you to fail They include all of the offences for which you can incur demerit points while you have a provisional licence together with things that clearly indicate you are not ready to drive on your own What are the PDA Items The items
4. following directions Practise session your supervisor should mark you on each of the seven PDA items that this book describes Your supervisor can use the Following Directions Practise Form over the page to record your following directions performance L F mM P R Session 1 Date E E U O LI LI Session2 Date un O L LI Session3 Date E E L a Session4 Date un O L L Session 5 Date lt CS ee Session 6 Date Session 7 Date Session 8 Date Section 9 Date Section 10 Date Section 11 Date Section 12 Date Section 13 Date Section 14 Date no HH ft 8 8 8 8 8 8 no HH O 8 8 8 8 8 8 amp 8 op HH fF 8 8 8 8 8 8 no HH 8 8 8 8 8 8 go HoH HH 8 8 8 8 8 8 op HH HF 8 8 8 8 8 8 Section 15 Date L Look S Signal F Flow M Movement P Path R Responsiveness VM Vehicle Management 63 gp HH fF 8 8 8 8 8 Practise the Whole PDA Practise PDA Form 1 Section 1 Follow Directions to Exercise A Section 2 Exercise A Manoeuvre 1 Manoeuvre 2 Section 3 Follow Directions to Exercise B Section 4 Exercise B Manoeuvre 1 Manoeuvre 2 Section 5 Follow Directions to Exercise C O O L Look S Signal F Flow M Movement P Path R Responsiveness VM Vehicle Management Check what you and your supervisor think about your performance Wer l Di r rvi L do it without asking any questions _ feel comfortable while you did t
5. e parallel parking e turning in and out of driveways e reversing and e parking in car parks When you drive by yourself you must be able to look out for your own safety no one else will be there to do it for you When your driving skills are automatic it indicates that you have the capacity to concentrate on your own safety rather than just making the vehicle move 105 Practising manoeuvring helps make your driving skills automatic so include manoeuvring in everyday driving such as when you go to the shops or pick up siblings from sport practise Get Quality Instruction Learning to drive can be very stressful for both the learner and their supervisor especially at the beginning when there seems to be so much that needs to be covered all at once Starting off with a professional driving instructor can be a very good idea They can quickly tell you what you will need to learn and start you off properly Once you have learned the early stages of how to control a vehicle you can gain experience with other responsible drivers if Remember you must be accompanied by an instructor who is a A person who holds an instructor s licence issued under the Motor Vehicle Drivers Instructors Act 1963 or b A person who is an instructor in a youth driver education course conducted or supervised by a person authorised by the Department of Transport for that purpose or c A person who is authorised to perform any driving of a kin
6. What Does Look Behind Assess Look behind assesses whether you can you keep an eye on what is happening behind you as you drive Drivers must keep an eye on the traffic behind them and know what that traffic is doing Look behind requires you to check in the mirrors and check your blind spot so that you can interact safely with other traffic When is Look Behind Assessed Competent drivers look behind as part of their regular routine to avoid colliding with other vehicles travelling in the same direction They do it when they e slow down e turn or e diverge such as when they change lanes merge or leave and return to the kerb Look behind is checked more frequently by the assessor when you are performing complex driving tasks This helps the assessor find out whether you can use look behind without having to think about it consciously How is Look Behind Scored You don t head check immediately before the You direct your eyes towards the appropriate vehicle starts to enter a position that a following rear side window head check immediately vehicle could also enter before the vehicle starts to enter a position that a following vehicle could also enter You do a head check more than two seconds before the vehicle alters course You direct your eyes to the appropriate You don t direct eyes to the appropriate mirror s mirror s at regular intervals at regular intervals You direct your eyes to the appr
7. e Step 5 Hazard perception test HPT After you turn 17 have allowed a minimum of six months to lapse since completing your PDA and have completed the minimum 25 hours of post PDA supervised driving you need to pay for and pass the HPT before you are granted a provisional licence IN e Step 6 Provisional licence Once you pass the HPT test you will be granted a provisional licence You will be a provisional licence holder for a period of two years During this time you cannot exceed 110 km h and you are subject to a zero blood alcohol limit and the graduated demerit points system Drive as Much as Possible You learn to drive by doing it and doing it often There is no substitute for experience Once you can operate a vehicle properly and safely try to get regular experience as often as possible Get Experience in a Variety of Conditions Make sure that you get experience in a wide variety of conditions Start with simple situations and then move on to more challenging ones You will get more benefit from your driving experiences if you vary the situations in which you drive Doing the same things over and over again in the same locations will not be as useful and it becomes boring Try to make your driving practise real for example you could do some of the routine family driving Practise Manoeuvring In the PDA you will be required to perform many manoeuvres Manoeuvres are driving tasks such as e making three point turns
8. EA 48 EHEH tA 08 EA EA E EH sy E E E EH ES ES EH HH HEH 16 E E BA He Ue Ged A EE 66 E ey EA 8 dE EH ad Fa 6 D Night Time Drivin If you reach the end of this Driving Log before you go for your PDA then get another copy of this book We cannot tell you how many hours it will take you to reach the PDA standard everyone is different A driving instructor will let you know how you are going or you can try a practise PDA with your supervisor see page 65 Progress Log The Driving Log records the hours you drive To be a safe driver one who is not caught out by the unexpected you need to be sure you can drive in a variety of conditions While you are learning to drive plan to get practise in a wide variety of conditions You and your supervisor should use the Progress Log to work out how you are going in a range of conditions Discuss your progress with your supervisor at regular intervals over the learn to drive period and keep a record how you are going in each driving condition Use these symbols to rate your performance X Needs much guidance and has to use lots of attention on basic driving tasks in these conditions 2 Sometimes needs guidance and has to use lots of attention on basic driving tasks in these conditions Rarely needs help and performs well on basic driving tasks in these conditions You will not be ready to drive on your own until you can consistently obtain a
9. Ys in each driving condition Quiet Roads Very Busy Roads Dry Weather Driving Wet Weather Driving Night Driving Events Log Even after extensive driving practise in different conditions you can still lack experience It can take a long time to experience many events because some things happen so rarely Use the Events Log as another way of judging the true extent of your experience Fill in a checkbox each time you experience one of the following events or situations The Events Log can show you the gaps which remain in your experience There are many items here but remember they represent only some of the situations drivers will experience 77 General Driving Situations Traffic Situations braked firmly for yellow light stopped at a railway level crossing stopped at a one lane bridge stopped for road works stop go person signals stopped at school crossing stopped at pedestrian crossing Courtesy stopped for vehicles leaving driveways stopped for pedestrians about to enter crossing stopped before an intersection to avoid blocking it slowed to allow another vehicle to merge slowed to help another vehicle change lanes moved over to let a tailgater past Driving Conditions been hit by strong wind stopped driving because of heavy rain or hail driven on a narrow gravel road had to wipe the inside of windscre
10. indicator is not cancelled after four flashes of of the manoeuvre being completed the manoeuvre being completed Vehicle Management Makes sure the cabin and occupants are safe Ignores things affecting cabin safety Mirrors are adjusted for the best view of Mirrors do not provide the best view of following following traffic traffic Adopts and maintains an effective driving Adopts a driving posture that is not good for posture controlling the vehicle Responds appropriately to the vehicles Does not respond to warnings or important a information displayed by the vehicles instruments Uses switches as Uses switches as equied Does not use switches as required Steers and uses the gears in a way that Uses the steering or gears in a way that reduces promotes control control of the vehicle This book will prepare you for your PDA and assist you to pass the Graduated Driver Training and Licensing System You are now ready to continue on the path towards becoming a safe driver by completing the log book requirements However even after you have completed the logbook and you obtain your provisional licence be prepared to continue your learning Good drivers will learn something every time they drive Many drivers crash or seriously injure themselves in the first few years after they obtain their provisional The key to reducing your risk of crashing is to gain as much experience as you can in different conditions
11. reverse angle park 10 Complete a three point turn Not used unless no other option available Combine the Manoeuvres By practising different combinations of manoeuvres you will become comfortable with all of the possible combinations which you could be asked to complete during your PDA Try various combinations of manoeuvres in different locations Go into car parks and practise both forward and reverse angle parking next to other vehicles Get the feel for driving around car parks in shopping centres For example combine Manoeuvre 1 with Manoeuvre 6 U turn at roundabout and you have an exercise like I left something behind You can also try Manoevure 3 followed by Manoeuvre 9 a forward angle park in a car park nearby Manoevure 5 followed by Manoeuvre 8 a reverse parallel park is what drivers often do when they are looking for a place to park Check the Results of Your Practise Exercises Each exercise in the PDA will combine two manoeuvres During your practise sessions your supervisor should mark you on your flow movement and path during each manoeuvre If you complete all aspects of both manoeuvres well you supervisor will give you six VY marks During each exercise your supervisor should also mark you on look behind and signal You will get two additional v marks if you complete these elements well Your supervisor should use the table below to score your performance during the practise exercises They s
12. up You ignore things affecting safety inside the vehicle You have your mirrors adjusted for the best Your mirrors do not provide the best view of the view of the traffic behind you traffic behind you You adjust and keep adjusted the driver s seat and seat belt Your seating position You take up a driving position that is not good should enable you to operate the car for controlling the vehicle effectively You respond properly to the vehicles You do nothing when the vehicles instruments instruments display warnings or important information You do not use switches when needed You use switches as needed while you drive For example you do not turn on the wipers if it starts to rain You do anything that reduces the amount of You steer and use the gears in a way that control you have over the vehicle For example assists you to control the vehicle you make a turn with the clutch in or you hold the steering wheel from the inside Examples of Vehicle Management The following examples of vehicle management represent the aspects of your driving that the assessor will be checking when assessing vehicle management You should read these examples in conjunction with Drive Safe A handbook for Western Australian road users You make sure that the inside of the vehicle is safe you are sitting in a good driving position and your mirrors are adjusted DRIVING POSITION Legs are apart and left foot is ext
13. your driving flows it means you do not have to think consciously about what to do That is you can do things automatically If your driving flows you can have a conversation with a passenger without it affecting your driving in any way To develop the flow quality of your driving you need to get as much driving experience as possible One or two practise runs in a few situations will not be enough Flow also covers how well you deal with mistakes Even competent drivers make mistakes but when they do they can generally correct and adjust their driving without breaking their flow The diagram on the following page represents what fluent performance might look like one part flows into the next As one part is finishing another part is starting sometimes several parts happen at once A competent driver will do all of these things automatically A competent driver combining the parts of a task Into gear clutch ease mirrors signal look behind steer and go head check When a competent driver makes an error such as stalling the car they immediately restart the engine without interrupting their flow This is a sign of competence You can make mistakes and still receive a YES for flow An inexperienced driver performing a task When you are still learning you might have some problems completing tasks in the correct order Your driving might appear as separate parts with obvious breaks and pau
14. against which your driving will be assessed are Flow which assesses how well you combine driving skills together Movement which assesses whether you move smoothly when you drive the car forwards or backwards e Path which assesses whether you pick the best track and stay on track e Responsiveness which assesses whether you are aware of the hazards around you and respond to them appropriately Look Behind which assesses whether you keep an eye on what s happening behind you by using your rear view mirrors and checking blind spots e Signal which assesses whether you use let other road users know what you intend to do and e Vehicle Management which assesses whether you do things like keep an eye on your vehicle s instruments while you are driving use the steering wheel correctly and use the clutch and gearbox effectively KO The first three items are the essence of the PDA They look very closely at how well you can combine all of the basic control skills of driving You need to get as much driving experience as possible to do well on these items The fourth item assesses how you respond to what is happening around you as you drive lt is an important ingredient in taking care of your safety and that of other road users The final three items assess whether you have developed basic driving routines that have become ingrained habits This Part details exactly what your assessor will be looking for during your practical drivin
15. ar intervals Events Log The Events Log will help you to identify gaps in your experience Even if you are ready for the PDA you will see from this Log that there is still a lot to learn Be Honest If you cheat when you record your experience you will only fool yourself the assessor will be able to tell whether you have had enough experience Keeping a record of your experience will help you to see how much useful experience will help you to see how much useful experience you have had Remember you will only pass the PDA if you have had sufficient experience to drive by yourself You are doing yourself a favour by gaining as much experience as you can before taking the PDA and driving on your own on a provisional licence Driving Log Each box represents one hour of driving Shade in a box for each hour you drive If you drive for half an hour shade in only half a box When you have shaded in the first row you have driven for a total of ten hours If you drive at night use the second set of boxes to record your driving neos CH EH ES EA HH EH HH HA FH He Day Time Driving o x HE H e 8 28 8 8 2 e HH H 28 08 08 24 8 08 8 RHAH EH ue HH 68 8 08 9 28 4 60 28 68 b8 64 18 E 6 CB Ge bs Es 8 2 8 560 E be E E H HA ds 181 06 169 ad 6 6 SH 68 A A E EA He EA de He He ds EH 6 EA BH 48 69 00 EH kH EA EA HH BH de Ge EH b BA EA ES EH 48 HH Ga BA HA EA He Ge 08 Ee H 8
16. ching a green traffic light POTENTIAL HAZARD Traffic lights have been green for some time and could change RESPONSE e Check traffic behind Ease off the accelerator Cover the brake Brake if the lights turn yellow e Ifthe lights stay green accelerate when you are past the safe stopping distance from the stop line Approaching a blind intersection POTENTIAL HAZARD There could be vehicles entering the intersection but you cannot see to be sure RESPONSE e Check traffic behind Ease off the accelerator e Cover the brake Brake if your approach speed will not allow you to stop if you have to do so Continue braking until it is clear that no vehicles are entering the intersection Accelerate when it is safe to do so Following another vehicle RESPONSE e Check the traffic behind e Ease off the accelerator e Maintain a safe following distance POTENTIAL HAZARD The vehicle ahead is slowing RESPONSE e Check the traffic behind e Ease off the accelerator Approaching parked cars Steer away from the hazards e Cover the brake Drive at a speed that that will allow you to stop safely if you have to do so POTENTIAL HAZARD Drivers may be getting out of parked cars Approaching a pedestrian RESPONSE e Check the traffic behind Ease off the accelerator Steer away from the pedestrian e Cover the brake Drive at a speed that will allow you to stop safe
17. d for which the driving instruction is to be given and has had that authorisation for a period of or periods adding up to i at least two years in the case of driving of a moped or ii at least four years in any other case This means that a person who is authorised to drive a C class vehicle with an A condition automatic vehicle cannot supervise a learner driver in a manual vehicle As you gain experience you might decide to get some more help from a professional driving instructor They will make sure that you are developing the right driving habits and let you know how your driving compares to the PDA standard When choosing a professional driving instructor or driving school remember to consider more than just the price of lessons Ask the following questions to find out whether you will receive quality training e Will there be a planned training program e Will there be structured lessons where the instructor will show you what to do explain what is required in a way you easily understand and then let you practise at your own pace e Each time you try something will the instructor let you know how you are going and give you tips for correcting errors e lf you keep making the same errors will the instructor give you new ways of correcting it e Will the instructor set homework and skills for you to practise when you drive with other supervisors e Will each lesson start and finish with a review of your progr
18. eed should be appropriate for all stages of the manoeuvre AS Slow down Speed up a little le Slow down Driving in slow moving traffic Adjust your speed to avoid stopping unnecessarily and to maintain a safe following distance Slow moving vehicle nn Vary your speed smoothly Low speed manoeuvres You must stop accurately Do not over shoot Do not stop well before the line Stop before hitting the kerb TLE Stop before hitting the kerb Stop before hitting any object Parking When you have to park look ahead and choose a safe and legal location NO PARKING lt j Stopping Path What Does Path Assess Path assesses whether you pick the best track and stay on track Competent drivers choose the best manoeuvre and route for a situation and keep on track They don t need to make major adjustments to their steering to stay on track When assessors are scoring path they are looking at e how well you steer and e where and when you steer The how of path is the physical aspect of turning the steering wheel You use mental skills to do the when and where part of path Path sometimes has a relationship to speed For example if you go too wide at the end of a turn it could be because you did not reduce speed enough before you started the turn Another example of path s relationship to speed occurs when you change lanes too quickly and your passen
19. en driven into bright sun or had it in mirror Surprises braked firmly when another road user fails to stop or give way avoided an animal on the road steered around something blocking your path met an oncoming vehicle on the wrong side of the road Give Warnings used the horn operated the hazard lights Overtaking e overtaken another vehicle e slowed for an on coming car that was overtaking Switches e used the demister e turned on windscreen wipers while moving e changed stations on the car radio Night Driving e been dazzled by on coming traffic e been dazzled by vehicle s behind e dipped the headlights e dipped the rear view mirror Emergency Service Vehicles Police Fire Ambulance e pulled over to allow an emergency service vehicle past e been stopped for random breath testing e been stopped by police for any reason Manoeuvres Forward Angle Park e in quiet locations e in busy locations shopping centres high rise car parks Parallel Park e in quiet streets e in busy streets Reversing e up driveway of house e into driveway from stre
20. ended to supporting position Knees are slightly bent Back is against the seat Arm position lets hands complete a full turn of the wheel when your back is against the seat SEAT BELT e Lowacross your hips e Flat with no twists Firm with no slackness MIRRORS e Centre mirror best view of gt following traffic e Side mirror best view of lane and least view of own car OTHER CHECKS e Passengers belted up O Inside the vehicle is free of loose objects No ornaments blocking your view You use steering and gears to promote control You do not have to use a special method of steering or using the gears but the method you use should help you operate the car safely Steering Gears Steering e Steer with both hands unless you are operating the controls e Keep your hands on the outside of the steering wheel Driving around curves e Steer with both hands unless you are operating the controls e Keep your hands in a position that allows you to adjust your steering if you need to do so e Do not completely cross your arms Reversing e Use a method that suits you and keeps the vehicle on track e You can steer backwards using one hand Manual Vehicles e Enter and drive around corners in a gear that helps you control the car Do not have the clutch in unless you are driving so slowly the engine could stall e Keep your foot off the clutch unless you are changing gear or usin
21. ess If you do not get this type of instruction look around for another instructor who will provide you with a higher quality of training IOI Part 2 A Quick Look the PDA m This Part of the book explains the what how and when about the PDA Using it as a guide will assist you to prepare for your PDA How Does the Assessor Judge Driver and Vehicle Services has set a Driver Licensing Competency Standard which describes the components of driving in detail The standard represents what the Department of Transport expects of an experienced competent driver The Driver Competency Standard is available online at www transport wa gov au dvs During your PDA the assessor will compare your performance to that described in the Competency Standard To pass the PDA you must have made significant progress towards meeting the Competency Standard During your PDA the assessor will look at the components of good driving skills and at how well you put the components together The assessor makes these checks while you are doing every day driving tasks as part of your PDA They will look at how well you e operate and guide the car e put the road rules into practise e fit in with other traffic and e see and respond to hazards 10 How Does the PDA Work The PDA has five sections during three sections you will be asked to follow directions and during two sections you will have to perform set exercises W
22. et e up laneways U Turns e in quiet streets e in busy streets Reverse Angle Park e in quiet locations e in busy locations shopping centres high rise car parks Reverse Parallel Park e in quiet streets e in busy streets Turns in Driveway e in quiet streets e in streets with traffic e in narrow streets Three Point Turns e in quite streets e in streets with traffic e in narrow streets Notes Notes Notes Notes
23. for five seconds before moving You have the indicator on for less than five seconds before moving from a parked position When you are moving you turn on the appropriate indicator for a sufficient time You don t provide sufficient indication before to signal your intention before turning or turning or diverging diverging You keep the indicator on until the You cancel the indicator before most of the manoeuvre is completed vehicle has entered the new lane or position Your indicator is cancelled within three Your indicator is not cancelled after four flashes flashes of the manoeuvre being completed of the manoeuvre being completed Examples of Signal The following examples of signal represent the aspects of your driving that the assessor will be checking when assessing signal You should read these examples in conjunction with Drive Safe A Handbook for Western Australian road users In the following diagrams you are in the red car You use your indicators Leaving a parked position You have the indicators on for at least five seconds or five flashes before moving You turn the indicators off when you have completed the manoeuvre Diverging around a hazard 3 seconds A T5momoe r Bs att 3 seconds 1 5mormore Diverging around hazards Diverging around a turning vehicle When you need to diverge out of your lane or by more than 1 5m you must signal what you are going to do Turn
24. g PDA lt explains how the assessor will score what you do and tells you how you need to drive to pass the PDA It describes each PDA item in detail and gives you some useful examples At the end of this Part you will find a list of the serious faults that can cause you to fail the PDA Terms Used in This Book The words with special meanings that have been used in this book are e diverge means a manoeuvre in which a vehicle changes its position on the road Two common examples of diverging would be pulling out from the kerb and changing lanes e an exercise is an activity during the PDA consisting of two low speed manoeuvres that are typical of an everyday driving task e manoeuvres which include all low speed and road speed manoeuvres e merge which occurs when two lanes of traffic merge into one e road speed manoeuvres which include changing lanes merging turning at intersections giving way and stopping at intersections e slow manoeuvres which include parking starting off from the side of the road and turning around in tight spaces for example three point turns and e turn which includes turning at an intersection to leave one street and enter another Flow What Does Flow Assess Flow assesses how well you combine driving skills together When your driving flows it suggests that you are becoming a competent driver It is a sign that you have learnt the individual driving skills and that you can put them together When
25. g it to prevent the car from stalling e Use the correct gear You should not be straining or over revving the engine e Change gears before or after you steer Do not change at the same time as steering is being applied into or out of a corner e Do not let the clutch slip for a long time or crunch or grind the gears 49 Automatic Vehicles e When stopped always keep your foot brake applied when you operate the gear lever e f you choose to use the gear lever manually when driving forward you must choose gears that suit the situation and which won t strain the engine e You must use your right foot to brake in an automatic vehicle Fail items You will automatically fail the PDA if any of the following things occur your assessor has to intervene or give you assistance to avoid a potentially dangerous situation you disobey a regulatory sign you speed you disobey any traffic regulation that immediately or potentially threatens safety you drive without wearing your seat belt you fail to respond to a crisis or potential crisis that would normally be anticipated by an experienced driver you cause a crisis or potential crisis you refuse to attempt any part of the PDA or you refuse to follow a reasonable direction given by the assessor Stopping the PDA The assessor will not proceed with a PDA if in the judgment of the assessor you are not mentally or physically fit for the PDA your vehicle is not roadwort
26. gers are thrown sideways If this happens it means that the amount of steering you used was not suitable for the speed you were travelling If you have any weaknesses in path they will probably show up in slow speed manoeuvres Competent drivers are good at working out the best path to take for the manoeuvre they want to do For example they don t reverse over to the wrong side of the road or clip kerb edges when turning into or out of a driveway When is Path Assessed Your assessor checks the path aspect of your driving when you are performing manoeuvres in which you change direction There are also checks while you drive along straight sections of road The assessor starts scoring path immediately after giving you a direction How is Path Scored You track accurately in manoeuvres curves and on straight roads You keep the vehicle stable during changes of direction You travel centrally in the lane where lanes are marked You use the most travelled section of road You follow a legal path You use steering well and at the appropriate time You don t steer accurately or you follow a path that uses more or less steering input than is appropriate for the manoeuvre Your steering tends to unbalance passengers You travel over or near line markings unnecessarily You adopt a position on the road not normally followed by other road users You travel an illegal path You don t use your steer
27. give you a better and safer foundation for your driving future For the safety and well being of all Western Australians urge both learner driver s and their driving supervisors to use the information in this booklet to guide the teaching process and to record and monitor progress Chief Executive Officer Department of Transport Welcome and congratulations on passing the learner s permit theory test The next big step is to develop your ability to drive safely by gaining extensive on road driving practise You must pass the Practical Driving Assessment PDA before continuing on to get your provisional licence which will then allow you to drive on your own Purpose of This Book This book provides the answers to the questions you may have about the PDA It also e complements the information in Drive Safe A handbook for Western Australian road users you still need to know the information in that book e gives you information about the experience you need to become a safe driver e provides a place for you to record your experiences as a learner which will help you decide when you are ready to take the PDA and e explains what skills you need to develop to pass the PDA More information can be obtained online at www transport wa gov au dvs Co ntents Part 1 Preparing to Drive on Your Own 1 Part 2 A Quick Look at the PDA 6 Part 3 The PDA Items 11 Part amp Are You Ready for the PDA 51 Conclusion 72 Rec
28. hard L stay quiet without giving any help about it L complete low speed manoeuvres while L feel happy about staying quiet while you chatting to your supervisor at the same time were driving Practise Exercise 2 Score What You Bid Manoeuvre write in its name or draw a sketch of it il L Flow L Movement L Path 2 L Flow L Movement L Path During Whole Task Look Behind Signal Check what you and your supervisor think about your performance do it without asking any questions _ feel comfortable while you did the exercises L do it without having to think really hard _ stay quiet without giving any help about it L complete low speed manoeuvres while _ feel happy about staying quiet while you chatting to your supervisor at the same time were driving Practise Exercise 3 Score What You Did Manoeuvre write in its name or draw a sketch of it il L Flow L Movement L Path 2 L Flow L Movement L Path During Whole Task C Look Behind Signal Check what you and your supervisor think about your performance _ do it without asking any questions feel comfortable while you did the exercises L do it without having to think really hard L stay quiet without giving any help about it L complete low speed manoeuvres while L feel happy about staying quiet while you chatting to your supervisor at the same time were driving Practise Exercise 4 Score What You Did Manoeuvre write in its na
29. he exercises L do it without having to think really hard L stay quiet without giving any help about it L complete low speed manoeuvres while _ feel happy about staying quiet while you chatting to your supervisor at the same time were driving Practise PDA Form 2 Section 1 Follow Directions to Exercise A Section 2 Exercise A Manoeuvre 1 Manoeuvre 2 Section 3 Follow Directions to Exercise B Section 4 Exercise B Manoeuvre 1 Manoeuvre 2 Section 5 Follow Directions to Exercise C I E Com L Look S Signal F Flow M Movement P Path R Responsiveness VM Vehicle Management Check what you and your supervisor think about your performance Wer l Di r rvisor C do it without asking any questions C feel comfortable while you did the exercises L do it without having to think really hard _ stay quiet without giving any help about it LI complete low speed manoeuvres while C feel happy about staying quiet while you chatting to your supervisor at the same time were driving Practise the Whole PDA Practise PDA Form 3 Section 1 Follow Directions to Exercise A Section 2 Exercise A Manoeuvre 1 Manoeuvre 2 Section 3 Follow Directions to Exercise B Section 4 Exercise B Manoeuvre 1 Manoeuvre 2 Section 5 Follow Directions to Exercise C o a E j L Look S Signal F Flow M Movement P Path R Responsiveness VM Vehicle Management Check what you and your supervisor think about your perf
30. hen you are following directions the assessor will be telling you when to make turns at intersections and guiding you on the journey from the PDA site and back again When you are performing exercises the assessor will explain to you what you have to do You will have to decide the best way to do the exercise for yourself The exercises cover the sorts of tasks drivers often have to do such as finding somewhere to park in a car park The diagram below summarises how the PDA works Section 1 a Section 3 5 Section 5 Section 2 Section 4 PDA Site I Follow BORGA Follow EE AD Follow PDA Site Directions Directions Directions While you drive the assessor watches you and uses PDA items to help judge your performance The PDA items list what you are expected to do The assessor has to judge whether you do what the PDA items require you to do The assessor records the judgement by indicating YES or NO as you drive If the assessor writes something it doesn t necessarily mean that you have made a mistake Assessors are subject to regular auditing and training The auditor trainer or trainee sits in the rear of the vehicle observing and recording the assessor s role in the assessment What Happens at the End of the PDA When you arrive back at the PDA site the assessor will tally up your score to see if you have passed the PDA In You need to perform consistently during the PDA The PDA will assess the
31. hould tick the box next to each PDA item if you perform the task correctly First Manoeuvre LI Flow LI Movement LJ Path Second Manoeuvre LI Flow Ll Movement L Path During Whole Task LI Look Behind L Signal When you can consistently score at least five Vv marks you will be near to the standard required to pass the PDA You can find a quick guide to scoring the PDA items on page 67 24 Use the following exercise practise forms to record your performance There are also some blank exercises where you can try your own combinations of manoeuvres Check What You Think After completing a practise exercise consider how you felt about your performance Were you able to e do it without asking any questions e do it without having to think really hard about it e complete low speed manoeuvres while chatting to your supervisor at the same time Check What Your Supervisor Thinks Ask your supervisor to consider how they felt while you were doing the practise exercise Did they e feel comfortable while you did the exercises e stay quiet without giving any help e feel happy about staying quiet while you were driving Exercise Practise Forms Practise Exercise 1 I left something behind Imagine you have just visited a friend s house You drive off around the next corner and then remember you have left something behind at the house You need to go back to the house collect the item and then set off again I
32. hy your vehicle is not appropriate for the class or type of licence PDA the vehicle does not have a centrally positioned handbrake or dual controls your vehicle breaks down during the PDA you offer a bribe or inducement or in the judgment of the assessor something that would not normally be present during a test adversely affects the authenticity fairness reliability or validity of the PDA Remember that the PDA is trying to determine whether you can drive without assistance This part of the book will help you to decide whether you are ready for the PDA or not Do a Practise PDA Try some exercises that are similar to those in the PDA itself You will be ready if you can do these exercises without difficulty Remember the PDA checks your ability to e perform set exercises and e drive around streets following directions You need to practise driving under the same kinds of situations you will encounter during the PDA You should try practise exercises first then following directions and then both together Section 1 Section 3 5 Section 5 Section 2 Section 4 IN 3 PDA Site Follow E Eyes A i Follow IP Exercise B Follow I PDA Site Directions Directions Directions rs Use the Exercise Practise Forms which start on page 56 to check how well you can perform the exercises When you are able to pass the practise exercises try driving around following directions from your supervisor usi
33. ide and Log Book e Step 2 Learn to drive This stage focuses on controlling a vehicle in a variety of road conditions developing good driving habits and learning to recognise potential hazards During the learn to drive stage you must complete and record a minimum of 25 supervised driving hours in the pre PDA section of your Learner Guide and Log Book e Step 3 PDA You must be at least 16 years and six months old to sit a PDA The PDA will determine whether you are ready to move into the next step It looks at the quality of your driving rather than the way you perform individual skills You are strongly recommended to get as much supervised driving in as many different road weather and traffic conditions as you can This will better prepare you for passing your PDA e Step 4 Gain experience Once you pass your PDA you need to build on your driving experience and complete a minimum of 25 supervised driving hours in the post PDA section of your Learner Guide and Log Book This stage is all about rehearsing for solo driving You still need a supervising driver sitting next to you to help when needed but you will need to be developing your own independent driving skills You can better prepare yourself for driving on your own by completing more than the minimum 25 hours of supervised driving Practising driving in a range of situations will ensure that you are better prepared to respond to hazards when you begin to drive on your own
34. ing at roundabouts Turn your indicator off within three Indicate left to leave the flashes roundabout here You should indicate to turn right before you enter the roundabout Make sure your indication gives sufficient warning of your intention to turn to other traffic Travelling straight ahead at roundabouts Indicate left to leave the roundabout here No indicator on the approach Vehicle Management What Does Vehicle Management Assess Vehicle management assesses whether you can you do things like keeping an eye on your vehicle s instruments use the steering wheel correctly and using the clutch and gearbox effectively while you are driving This item includes aspects that are not really qualities of your driving and which are not covered by the other PDA items look behind signal flow movement path and responsiveness Instead it includes some important tasks that you should be doing before you drive and while you drive When is Vehicle Management Assessed Your assessor scores how you manage the vehicle when you first get in the car and prepare for driving and then continuously throughout the PDA How is Vehicle Management Scored You make sure that the inside of the vehicle is safe for you and any passengers For example you e secure loose objects that is you store them in the boot or the glove box and e make sure everyone in the vehicle is correctly seated and belted
35. ing well or you steer in appropriately You adopt a path that suits the environment You adopt a path that places the vehicle unnecessarily close to a series of hazards Examples of Path The following examples of path represent the aspects of your driving that the assessor will be checking when assessing path You should read these examples in conjunction with Drive Safe A handbook for Western Australian road users In the following diagrams you are driving the red car You steer accurately You should be able to work out the best path to take and stay on track When turning Your path should look like this Your path should not look like this When reverse parking START Between a half a metre Start a safe distance out and one metre between a half metre and one metre out from the other vehicle You should be reasonably parallel to it REVERSE Use definite and appropriate changes in direction Try to end up close to and about parallel to the kerb on your first reverse manoeuvre LEAVE ROOM FOR ERROR Allow about 30cm or more from other vehicles Do not hit nudge or scrape the kerb DISTANCE BACK Do not go any more than 4m back from the vehicle in front Less than 4 metres FINAL POSITION Make sure road users can move freely Your car should be reasonably parallel to the kerb entirely within the confines of any parking bay and more than 1 2m and less than 3m from the vehicles in f
36. ly if you have to do so POTENTIAL HAZARD A pedestrian is moving between parked cars RESPONSE e Check the traffic behind e Ease off the accelerator Approaching a cyclist Steer away from the cyclist e Cover the brake Drive at a speed that will allow you to stop safely if you have to do so RESPONSE A e Check the traffic behind Approaching a large parked vehicle a e Steer away from the truck e Cover the brake e Drive at a speed that will allow you to stop safely if you have to do so POTENTIAL HAZARD There could be pedestrians in front of the truck or the car could pull out An oncoming car is overtaking a cyclist RESPONSE e Check the traffic behind Ease off the accelerator e Steer away from the car POTENTIAL HAZARD The car overtaking the cyclist might cross the centre line Driving through a car park POTENTIAL HAZARD POTENTIAL HAZARD The car could reverse The car turning could block the path POTENTIAL HAZARD Pedestrian may move out from between parked cars RESPONSE e Check the traffic behind e Ease off the accelerator e Drive at a speed that will allow you to stop safely if you have to do so Let driver into traffic stream You are courteous to other road users continued Drop back to allow the rider to change lanes Pedestrians crossing the road If necessary stop back to allow pedestrians to cross the road Look Behind
37. me or draw a sketch of it il L Flow L Movement L Path 2 _ Flow L Movement L Path During Whole Task L Look Behind Signal Check what you and your supervisor think about your performance do it without asking any questions feel comfortable while you did the exercises L do it without having to think really hard _ stay quiet without giving any help about it L complete low speed manoeuvres while L feel happy about staying quiet while you chatting to your supervisor at the same time were driving Practise Following Directions During your PDA the assessor will ask you to drive from the PDA site to your first exercise then from your first exercise to your second exercise and so on In total you will be asked to complete four sections following the assessor s directions each of which should last about five minutes Use the Follow Directions Practise Form to check your ability to drive following directions from your supervisor During each practise session you should drive through situations similar to those you may encounter during the PDA You should be familiar with e traffic lights GIVE WAY signs STOP signs right turns at intersections and roundabouts You may not experience every one of these features during every practise session or every PDA section However after each following directions practise session you should have been through at least two of the features on the list During each
38. n this task your two manoeuvres are 1 Turning around to go back To do this part of the exercise you could choose to e turn around by using a driveway Manoeuvre 1 2 or 3 or e doa U turn Manoeuvre 5 and 6 2 Turning around and parking outside the house again To do this part of the exercise you could choose to e turn around by using a driveway Manoeuvre 1 2 or 3 or e do a U turn Manoeuvre 5 and 6 _Score What You Did II First Manoeuvre _ Flow L Movement L Path Second Manoeuvre LI Flow LI Movement L Path During Whole Task L Look Behind L Signal Check what you and your supervisor think about your performance Ll do it without asking any questions L feel comfortable while you did the exercises LI do it without having to think really hard LI stay quiet without giving any help about it LI complete low speed manoeuvres while LI feel happy about staying quiet while you chatting to your supervisor at the same time were driving Practise Exercise 2 Stopping for Shopping Imagine you have been looking for a particular shop and you have stopped just past the entrance to the car park which is on a busy street You need to turn into the next side street on the left turn around in that street and come back and find a place to park in the car park next to another car You will stop the car there as if you are going into the shop In this task your two manoeuvres are 1 Turning around to go back T
39. ng the Follow Directions Practise Forms on page 63 Then try linking exercises with the follow directions sections to practise the whole PDA using the Practise PDA Forms on page 64 Practise the Exercises Manoeuvres When you go for your PDA you will have to do two exercises Each exercise will combine two low speed manoeuvres into an everyday driving situation We have given these exercises names such as Stopping for Shopping and lve Left Something Behind So that you don t get any surprises during the PDA you should try various combinations of manoeuvres to build your own practise exercises The manoeuvres which will be included in the two exercises will come from or will be derived from a set of ten manoeuvres You can use the same manoeuvres to devise your own practise exercises The ten manoeuvres are listed below _Manoeuvre Diagam 1 Drive forward into a driveway on the right then reverse and change direction 2 Reverse into a driveway and then drive forward to go back along the street in the opposite direction 3 Drive forward into a driveway on the left then reverse out to change direction Q Man vr r 3 4 Drive forward into a driveway on the left reverse back to leave in the same direction as you started 5 Complete a U turn 6 Complete a U turn at a roundabout 7 Complete a reverse parallel park 8 Complete a forward angle park 9 Complete a
40. o do this part of the exercise you could choose to e turn around by using a driveway Manoeuvre 1 2 or 3 or e doa U turn Manoeuvre 5 and 6 2 Entering the car park and parking next to another vehicle To do this part of the exercise you could choose to e enter the parking space forwards Manoeuvre 8 or e enter the parking space backwards Manoeuvre 9 Score What You Bid S First Manoeuvre L Flow L Movement L Path Second Manoeuvre LI Flow LI Movement L Path During Whole Task L Look Behind L Signal Check what you and your supervisor think about your performance L do it without asking any questions LI feel comfortable while you did the exercises L do it without having to think really hard I stay quiet without giving any help about it LI complete low speed manoeuvres while LI feel happy about staying quiet while you chatting to your supervisor at the same time were driving Create Your Own Practise Exercises Use the following blank exercise sheets to record how you go in your practise exercises Practise Exercise 1 Score What You Bid Manoeuvre write in its name or draw a sketch of it E L Flow LI Movement Ll Path 2 L Flow LI Movement Ll Path During Whole Task Ll Look Behind L Signal Check what you and your supervisor think about your performance Cl do it without asking any questions C feel comfortable while you did the exercises Cl do it without having to think really
41. opriate You don t direct your eyes to the appropriate mirror s at least 5 to 10 seconds before mirror s at least 5 to 10 seconds before turning or starting to turn or diverge diverging You direct your eyes in the appropriate You don t direct your eyes in the appropriate directions prior to and at intervals while directions prior to and at intervals while reversing reversing Examples of Look Behind The following examples of look behind represent the aspects of your driving that the assessor will be checking when assessing look behind You should read these examples in conjunction with Drive Safe A handbook for Western Australian road users In the following diagrams you are driving the red car Doing head checks in the right direction You should turn your head and check your blind spot whenever you are about to steer into a position that could be used by a vehicle behind you Moving off Head check immediately before you start to steer Look in this direction E Head check immediately before you start to steer Moving around a hazard If other road users could be in the space or could move into the space you intend to move into you should do a head check Getting in position for a turn Starting a turn at an intersection You need to do a head check after stopping when there is a chance of a road user overtaking you on the left Head check by the time you reach here
42. ord of Driving Experience 73 Appendix The Western Australian WA graduated driver training and licensing system GDT amp L concentrates on providing young drivers with improved practical driving skills experience and good driving habits before they can be granted a provisional licence The development of the system has been based on research which indicates that e experience and supervision reduces road crashes e learner drivers under supervision are a low risk group e motivation and attitude to risk taking are more important in improving driver safety than practical driving skills alone and e learner drivers must develop practical driving skills before they are able to develop higher order skills Statistics show that new drivers particularly those between 16 and 24 years are up to three times more likely than other drivers to be involved in a serious road crash Research has also found that strengthening the driving experiences and supervision of new drivers before and after they obtain a driver s licence can lead to significant reductions in crashes The GDT amp L System is a structured learning process consisting of the following steps e Step 1 Learner s permit You must have a learner s permit before you can start learning to drive To apply for a permit you must be over 16 years old and pass the theory test and an eyesight test When you are issued your permit you will also need to pay for a Learner Gu
43. ormance C do it without asking any questions feel comfortable while you did the exercises L do it without having to think really hard _ stay quiet without giving any help about it L complete low speed manoeuvres while L feel happy about staying quiet while you chatting to your supervisor at the same time were driving 66 Quick Guide to Scoring the PDA Items Use this page as a quick guide to scoring the PDA items Part 3 has detailed information on each PDA item and how it should be scored Does not respond to an instruction Is very Starts the manoeuvre promptly slow starting or misses opportunities to start a manoeuvre Proceeds continuously through the parts of the stumbles or pauses performing parts of the Manele manoeuvre Proceeds directly through a series of O manoeuvres Falters joining manoeuvres together Fits in with other traffic Inconveniences or unnecessarily slows or holds up other road users when doing a manoeuvre Complies with the rules for stop signs give way signs traffic signals and right of way Does not comply with the rules for stop signs give way signs traffic signals and right of way Drives without assistance Asks for or requires help to perform any manoeuvre Adjusts controls as situations change Continues with the same driving pattern even though situations are changing Directs eyes to hazards posing an immediate Keeps head and eyes directed forward when threat app
44. ou start moving or when you adjust adjust speed speed That is the vehicle jerks You vary the speed to suit different stages in a You travel too quickly or drive excessively manoeuvre slowly for any part of the manoeuvre You travel within the speed limit You exceed the speed limit AUTOMATIC FAIL You stop accurately You stop well before or past the desired stopping point You remain stationary as necessary You let the vehicle roll when it should be stationary You maintain a safe following distance You don t maintain a safe following distance Examples of Movement The following examples of movement represent the aspects of your driving that the assessor will be checking when assessing movement You should read these examples in conjunction with Drive Safe A handbook for Western Australian road users n the following diagrams you are driving the red car You vary your speed You must match your speed to the manoeuvre you are doing This means speeding up or slowing down to suit the situation Your driving should be comfortable for passengers not too fast so you have to rush things and not unnecessarily slow Turning a corner You should be able to accelerate gently away from the turn Your approach speed should allow you to come to a smooth stop if you have to do so Brake smoothly and progressively Your approach speed should permit smooth braking Driving into a car park Your sp
45. r view both ways E When you get to the intersection you do Approaching not have to stop pause and think about what to do You proceed continuously through the parts of the manoeuvre Most manoeuvres have many parts When your driving flows all those parts blend from one into the next In basic manoeuvres you should not have to pause and think about what to do You perform your manoeuvres so that they fit in with other traffic When you perform manoeuvres such as leaving the kerb changing lanes or turning at intersections or roundabouts you must fit in with other traffic You must be able to e look for gaps in the traffic e decide which gap allows you enough space to complete the manoeuvre safely and e drive smoothly into your chosen gap Timing a turn at an intersection Cars on this street should not have to brake when you turn You should not hold up cars on Don t rush You may leave the this street if it is safe to go first gap to make sure you have worked out the gap size correctly You should take the next suitable gap Timing a lane change Traffic should not be inconvenienced You comply with rules for stopping and giving way Flow also assesses your ability to apply certain road rules particularly stopping and giving way STOP signs You will fail the PDA if you do not come to a complete stop at stop lines If there is no stop line you must stop as near as practicable before entering the inter
46. right of way and passage at the expense of other road users Concentrates upon and reacts to issues only in the immediate vicinity or directly related to the car in front Is aware of traffic conditions well beyond the immediate vicinity Responds appropriately to other road users who are not obeying the road laws or driving safely Fails to react to other road users acting illegally or unsafely Examples of Responsiveness The following examples of responsiveness represent the aspects of your driving that the assessor will be checking when assessing responsiveness You should read these examples in conjunction with Drive Safe A handbook for Western Australian road users In the following diagrams you are driving the red car You look for hazards that pose immediate threats To respond safely to hazards you must first see them Responsive drivers scan the whole driving scene looking for things that could threaten their own and other road users safety Your assessor will check to see if you look for hazards that pose an immediate threat At blind intersections Traffic behind you Truck blocking view Drivers in parked cars Car on side road Car waiting to turn Pedestrian stepping out You adjust to the situation There are countless potentially hazardous situations to which you will have to respond while you drive The examples below will give you an idea of what the assessor will be looking for Approa
47. roaching hazards to the side Smoothly adjusts to a safe speed in the Adopts a speed that would prevent the driver presence of threats to safety from avoiding a collision with road users who are not complying with the law or with safe and reasonable driving Uses a suitable safe and legal low speed Uses an unsuitable unsafe or illegal manoeuvre for manoeuvre for the location the location Movement Moves in the desired direction Travels in the wrong direction for more than 30 cm Passengers are required to put effort into remaining stable when movement is initiated and adjusted Varies speed appropriately throughout the Travels too quickly or drives excessively slowly for manoeuvre any part of the manoeuvre oe i Exceeds the speed limit or drives excessivel Travels within the speed limit p i e f slowly in normal traffic conditions Vehicle moves smoothly and remains stable when movement is initiated and adjusted Stops accurately Stops before or beyond desired stopping point Remains stopped as necessary Does not keep vehicle stationary when necessary Stops at a safe and legal point Stops in an unsafe or illegal position Maintains a safe following distance Does not maintain a safe following distance Path Steers inaccurately or follows a path that uses more or less steering input than is appropriate for the manoeuvre Tracks accurately in manoeuvres curves and on straight roads Keeps the vehicle
48. ront and behind More than 1 2m less than 3m When manoeuvring in car park When performing U turns When performing three point turns Choose a safe location in which to complete the manoeuvre or you may also be marked under FLOW Attempting a manoeuvre in a very unsafe location could cause you to fail your PDA The location you choose should be away from e blind corners e hill crests e large parked vehicles and e any other obstructions It should also be more than 30m from any traffic control lights Responsiveness What Does Responsiveness Assess Responsiveness assesses whether you are responding to what is happening around you and keeping control of your safety and that of other road users Safe drivers are aware of their surroundings they drive actively and continually adjust their driving as they notice situations change They adjust their driving so that they have enough space to stop if someone else makes a mistake or does not follow the road rules Safe drivers act this way just in case something goes wrong which threatens their safety and that of other road users You are driving with responsiveness if you notice hazards to your safety and respond in an appropriate way Drivers with responsiveness drive as if they are connected to their surroundings They adjust their driving to even small changes in the driving environment Drivers do this by looking and linking They look for
49. section Moyement What Does Movement Assess Movement assesses whether the car moves smoothly when you drive it forwards or backwards Competent drivers move forwards and backwards smoothly and stop accurately They also adjust their speed so that it is legal and it best suits the driving task they are doing To manage movement you need the physical skills to work the vehicles controls such as the accelerator brakes and gears You also need mental skills which enable you to e regulate your speed e work out stopping points and e decide how to spread the vehicle s braking out across the available stopping space When you manage your vehicle s speed well passengers feel comfortable because the vehicle moves smoothly and travels at a speed that is right for the situation When is Movement Assessed Your assessor will check the movement aspect of your driving when you are performing either slow or road speed manoeuvres The assessor starts scoring movement immediately after giving you a direction How Is Movement Scored You always move in the correct direction for You travel in the wrong direction for more than the manoeuvre you are doing 30cm the car rolls back or you drive off in the wrong gear eg reverse instead of first and move in the direction NOT intended Your vehicle moves smoothly and remains Your vehicle moves roughly and is not stable stable when you start moving and when you when y
50. ses between actions as illustrated in the picture below When is Flow Assessed Your assessor will check the flow of your driving when you are performing either slow or road speed manoeuvres The assessor starts scoring flow immediately after giving you a direction When is Flow Scored You do not respond to an instruction from your assessor You start the manoeuvre promptly You are very slow starting or miss opportunities to start a manoeuvre You proceed continuosly through the parts of You stumble or pause performing parts of the the manoeuvre manoeuvre Wourproceed dinectty Mnrough a senes Ol You falter joining manoeuvres together manoeuvres gh ok You inconvenience or unnecessarily slow or hold You fit in with other traffic up other road users when doing a manoeuvre You comply with the rules for stop signs give way signs traffic signals and right of You don t comply with the rules for stop signs give way signs traffic signals and right of way way E z You ask for or require help from the assessor to You drive without assistance perform any manoeuvre s ane n You continue with the same driving pattern even You adjust your driving as situations change eee though situations are changing You direct your eyes to hazards posing an You keep your head and eyes directed forward immediate threat when approaching hazards to the side You adopt a speed that would prevent you You
51. situations that need to be watched They then link those events to similar situations they have experienced before The driver replays the memory of the previous event to see in advance the possibilities for the current situation An observant passenger can see a direct connection between what happens outside their car and what the driver is doing It takes a long time to learn responsiveness because when you start driving it all seems so strange You need extensive experience to become fully responsive This is why it is a good idea to get lots of experience driving under supervision that way if you make a mistake there is someone there to help you deal with it Later you can draw on that experience if the same situation occurs again As you gain more experience in a wide variety of circumstances and situations you can gradually build up your own internal library of options for dealing with driving events When is Responsiveness Assessed Your assessor will mark your responsiveness to the events happening around you as you follow their directions How is Responsiveness Scored Drives too fast to respond to the hazards safe Adopts a speed that suits the environment drivers could expect in the environment Does not drive courteously or has no attention to spare to consider acting courteously to other Shows courtesy to other road users drivers in busy or adverse traffic situations selfishly maintains his her own
52. smoothly adjust to a safe speed in the avoiding a collision with road users who are presence of threats to safety not complying with the law or with safe and reasonable driving You use a suitable safe and legal low speed You use an unsuitable unsafe or illegal manoeuvre for the location manoeuvre for the location Examples of Flow The following examples of flow represent the aspects of your driving that the assessor will be checking when assessing flow You should read these examples in conjunction with Drive Safe A handbook for Western Australian road users In the following diagrams you are driving the red car You start the manoeuvre promptly At various times your assessor will ask you to follow directions or perform specific exercises You should start the manoeuvres promptly Finding somewhere to turn around Turning up ahead You need to turn into this street You must prepare to change lanes in plenty of time Do not leave your preparation until you are nearly at the intersection Preparing for a reverse park You have stopped for a reverse park You have checked the mirrors and have the left indicator on You select reverse check that it is safe and start reversing smoothly There should be no unnecessary pauses vy a From the approach to the You are going to turn There is no traffic igg turn until leaving the turn on the road you are entering You have om your driving should flow a clea
53. stable during changes of ee Steering tends to unbalance passengers direction 9 P 9 Travels centrally in the lane where lanes are Travels over or near line markings unnecessarily marked Adopts a position on the road not normally Uses the most travelled section of road followed by other road users Follows a legal path Travels an illegal path Fails to use steering well and uses steerin Uses steering well and at the appropriate time 9 9 inappropriately Adopts a path that places the vehicle Adopts a path that suits the environment i unnecessarily close to a series of hazards Responsiveness l Drives too fast to respond to the hazards safe Adopts a speed that suits the environment drivers could expect in the environment Does not drive courteously or has no attention to spare to consider acting courteously to other Shows courtesy to other road users drivers in busy or adverse traffic situations selfishly maintains his her own right of way and passage at the expense of other road users Concentrates upon and reacts to issues only in the immediate vicinity or directly related to the car in front Is aware of traffic conditions well beyond the immediate vicinity Responds appropriately to other road users who are not obeying the road laws or driving safely Look Behind Fails to do a head check immediately before the vehicle starts to enter a position that a following vehicle co
54. uld also enter Does a head check more than two seconds before the vehicle alters course Directs eyes to the appropriate mirror at Fails to direct eyes to the appropriate mirror at regular intervals regular intervals Fails to react to other road users acting illegally or unsafely Directs eyes towards the appropriate rear side window head check immediately before the vehicle starts to enter a position that a following vehicle could also enter Directs eyes to the appropriate mirror at least 5 Fails to direct eyes to the appropriate mirror at 10 seconds before starting to turn or diverge least 5 10 seconds before turning or diverging Directs eyes in the appropriate directions prior Fails to direct eyes in the appropriate directions to and at intervals while reversing prior to and at intervals while reversing Signal Fails to use or operate the indicator for less than five seconds before moving from a parked position When leaving a parked position the indicator is on for five seconds before moving When moving turns on the appropriate Fails to use or does not operate the indicator indicator sufficiently to signal intention before sufficiently to signal intention before turning or turning or diverging diverging Keeps the indicator on until the manoeuvre is Cancels the indicator before most of the vehicle completed has entered the new lane or position The indicator is cancelled within three flashes The
55. you pur dv Ts ASSESomE oli e dl A Candidate s Guide to the Practical Driving Assessment Prepared and published by Department of Transport Driver and Vehicle Services Disclaimer The information contained in this publication is provided in good faith and believed to be accurate at time of publication The State shall in no way be liable for any loss sustained or incurred by anyone relying on the information 18032015 A Message from the Chief Executive Officer of the Department of Transport This Candidate s Guide to the Practical Driving Assessment PDA has been prepared to help learner drivers develop the skills necessary to pass a PDA and become a safe driver It complements the information in Drive Safe A handbook for Western Australian road users by providing a practical guide to the driving skills experience good driving habits and attitudes that learner drivers need to develop Both young drivers and provisional drivers crash more often than other drivers because they have not yet had the wide range of experiences they need to drive safely by themselves Research has shown that driving experience is a major factor in reducing road crashes and that the safest time for young drivers is when they are driving under supervision while learning Therefore this book emphasises the importance of gaining extensive driving experience under supervision in a wide range of situations before you begin to drive on your own As such it will
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