Georgia DDS road test: what to expect

What the examiner checks

• Parallel parking midway between two standards, not more than 18 inches from the curb (space 22 ft x 10 ft)
• Straight-line backing about 50 feet at no more than 10 mph, looking behind
• Stopping for signs and signals
• Turnabout (two-, three- or five-point turn)
• Use of clutch (manual transmission)
• Approaching intersections and corners
• Yielding right-of-way
• Turning, passing, following distance
• Good posture (both hands on the wheel, no conversation with the examiner)

How it's scored

Minimum score of 75% to pass; examiner reviews the score sheet with you

Your car

• Valid registration/plate (or temporary tag with bill of sale within 30 days, 7 days if bought from a third party)
• Liability insurance card and DDS safety inspection
• If no working turn signals, applicant must use hand signals

After you pass

Drivers under 18 (Class C; Class D must have been held until 18 or for 1 year and 1 day with no major traffic violations in the previous 12 months) get a provisional or junior license first. Its restrictions:

• No driving 12:00 midnight to 5:00 a.m. - no exceptions
• First 6 months: only immediate family members as passengers
• Second 6 months: only one passenger under 21 who is not immediate family
• After the first year: no more than three passengers under 21 who are not immediate family
• Under 21: license suspended 6 months (first) / 12 months (second) for reckless or aggressive driving, hit-and-run, racing, eluding, any 4-point offense (unlawful school bus passing, improper passing on hill/curve, speeding 24+ mph over)
• Under 18: 4 or more points in 12 months = suspension

How to prepare

• Practise in the car you'll take the test in, including parking and backing up.
• Drive the kinds of roads near the test site with your supervising driver: intersections, lane changes, school zones.
• Check the car the day before: lights, signals, horn, brakes, mirrors, tires, seat belts, and current registration and insurance documents.
• On the day, signal every turn and lane change, check mirrors and blind spots visibly, and come to full stops behind the line.