NSW Driving Test Manoeuvres and All 19 Fail Items

Photo: Luke Stewart, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

On the NSW Driving Test you will be asked to do some manoeuvres from a fixed list: a kerbside stop, a hill start, a 3-point turn and a parking manoeuvre. Each has exact measurements in Transport for NSW’s Guide to the Driving Test, such as finishing less than 500 mm from the kerb. Any one of the 19 fail items means you fail, even with a high score. This checklist sets out every measurement and fail item so you can practise against them.

Key measurements

The manoeuvres

The officer chooses from these. The parking type depends on what is available near your test centre.

Kerbside stop

1. Check mirrors and head check your left blind spot before moving to the kerb.
2. Signal and pull in smoothly, parallel and less than 500 mm from the kerb without touching it.
3. Secure the car (park brake, correct gear).
4. To move off: signal for at least 5 seconds, check mirrors, head check right, and go only when there is a safe gap.

Hill start

1. Hold the car with the brake.
2. Signal for at least 5 seconds, check mirrors and head check.
3. Move off without rolling back. Rolling back more than 500 mm is a fail item for loss of control.
4. Avoid over-revving and wheel spin.

3-point turn

1. Start from a correct kerbside position, close to the kerb.
2. Check left and right for traffic before every movement.
3. Complete the turn in 3 direction changes if the road width allows; 5 is the maximum.
4. Do not mount or hit the kerb. Touching the kerb face with your wheels is not a fail, but mounting it is.
5. Look over your shoulder through the rear window when reversing.

Parking: reverse parallel, 90 degree or 45 degree

1. Head check before moving to the kerb or into the bay.
2. While reversing, look in the direction of travel: mirrors, rear and side windows.
3. Head check before the front of the car swings out into the next lane.
4. Reverse only as far as needed. In a reverse parallel park, going more than 7 m back from the car you are parking behind is a fail.
5. Finish at the required angle, inside any marked lines, with no wheels on or over the lines.
6. Use no more than 4 direction changes.
7. Leave 1 m to 2 m from other vehicles.

Reversing cameras and sensors are allowed as aids, but you must still check mirrors and around the car. Park assist must be switched off for reversing manoeuvres. General parking rules are in parking rules in Australia.

All 19 fail items on the NSW Driving Test

If you commit a fail item, the test usually continues so you get a full assessment, but you will not pass.

1. Disobeying traffic signs, signals or road markings: running a red light (all of the car must be behind the line), not stopping on yellow when safe, a wrong stop at a stop line, crossing a continuous centre, lane or edge line unnecessarily, ignoring transit lanes, turn arrows, One Way, No Entry, No U-Turn, Keep Clear or Keep Left.
2. Failing to give way: to vehicles with priority, to pedestrians at crossings and intersections, or when merging and changing lanes.
3. Colliding with a vehicle, pedestrian or object: including mounting or straddling a traffic dome and mounting the kerb or a roundabout.
4. Performing an illegal act or manoeuvre: driving on the wrong side of an unmarked road, turning from the wrong lane, exiting into a lane you are not allowed to use, stopping on a pedestrian crossing or stop line, not keeping left when required, an unlawful U-turn, the wrong lane at a roundabout, passing a stopped vehicle at a pedestrian crossing, entering a level crossing when unsafe, not wearing a seatbelt, answering or using a mobile phone.
5. Exceeding the speed limit: at any time, including the 40 km/h school zone, the 40 km/h limit when passing a bus with flashing lights or a stopped emergency vehicle with flashing lights (where the limit is 80 km/h or less), the 90 km/h learner limit and roadwork limits.
6. Action requiring testing officer intervention: any verbal or physical help, including the dual controls.
7. Causing a dangerous situation: such as unsafe overtaking or giving way when you did not need to.
8. Failing to keep proper control: rolling back more than 500 mm, skidding or wheel spin, clutch coasting or coasting in neutral, poor control of the steering wheel.
9. Failing to exercise due care to avoid an accident: not being ready to respond to a hazard.
10. Failing to give way to an emergency vehicle.
11. Disobeying a person controlling traffic: police, emergency services, traffic controllers or pilot vehicles.
12. Frequently not signalling: when turning, for 5 seconds before leaving the kerb or a parking space, when changing lanes, diverging or pulling over, and when exiting a roundabout.
13. Refusing to attempt any part of the test.
14. Repeated or deliberate failure to follow directions.
15. Unreasonably obstructing others: blocking an intersection, or driving well below the limit when conditions do not require it.
16. Receiving outside advice or instruction: from signing the score sheet onwards.
17. Not parking to the required standard: more than 1 m from the kerb or obstructing traffic, wheels on or over marked lines, or reversing more than 7 m in the reverse park.
18. Failing to keep a safe following distance.
19. Frequently not doing observation checks: missed head checks when leaving or returning to the kerb, merging, diverging, changing lanes, reversing, turning, or crossing lanes to exit a roundabout.

Immediate fail vs test termination

• Immediate fail: you drive in a way that puts the public in obvious danger, or refuse to cooperate. The test stops and the officer may drive you back.
• Termination: problems not about your driving, such as an unsuitable car, an incomplete log book, suspected alcohol or drugs, a bribe, a crash or bad weather. Full list in the NSW Driving Test guide.

Most avoidable fails: a practice checklist

• Head check every time you leave the kerb, change lanes or reverse. Say “check” out loud when practising.
• Count your 3-second gap on every drive.
• Watch for school zone signs and the 40 km/h bus and emergency vehicle limits. See NSW speed limits for learners and P platers.
• Creep up to within 1 m of every stop line.
• Practise parks until you finish under 500 mm from the kerb in 4 moves or fewer.
• Signal for a slow count of 5 before pulling out.
• Do not hesitate at a clearly safe gap.

Overview of every stage: learning to drive in NSW. Roundabout lane rules that trip learners up: roundabout rules in Australia.

Common questions

What is an automatic fail on the NSW driving test?

Any of the 19 fail items, such as speeding, failing to give way, mounting the kerb or repeatedly missing head checks. Most let the test continue but you cannot pass. An immediate fail, which ends the test, is for dangerous driving or refusing to cooperate.

Is touching the kerb a fail?

Touching the kerb face with your wheels is not a fail. Mounting the kerb is.

Which parking manoeuvre will I get?

Reverse parallel, 90 degree or 45 degree, front or rear to kerb, depending on what is available near the test centre. Practise all of them.

How many attempts do I get at a park?

The guide sets a maximum of 4 direction changes, not a number of attempts. Fix your position within that limit.

Can I use the reversing camera?

Yes, as an aid, as long as you also check mirrors and around the car. Park assist must be off.

Sources

• Transport for NSW, “A Guide to the Driving Test” (nsw.gov.au)
• NSW Government, “Driving Test” (nsw.gov.au)