How to Ace the DMV Drive Test Pre-Drive Test Questions
Earning a driver's license is an exciting and important milestone in every new drivers life! In order to pass the Driving Test at the DMV, you'll first need to pass the Pre-Drive Test portion of the exam. The DMV examiner will ask you to demonstrate your hand signals and then identify or use 9 of the controls within your vehicle. Missing 3 of these Pre-Drive Test questions will result in an auto fail. However, passing this part of the test is very easy once you know what to expect. Thankfully, expert driving instructor Liz has taken the time to make a video to show you, step-by-step, what the DMV examiner will ask you. Check out this super helpful video and you'll be on your way to acing the DMV Drive Test.
Pre-Drive DMV Test Questions
Hello everybody, it’s Liz with Drivers Ed Direct! Our topic today is a popular one, especially for all of you headed to the DMV to take your driver’s license test… The DMV Drive Test Pre-Drive Test questions! Try saying that 5 times fast! You’ll perform this part of the DMV test before you even leave the DMV parking lot. Acing this part of the test is easy and a great way to start your drive test with supreme confidence!
Before you do anything, make sure you buckle up. Always buckle your seatbelt as soon as you enter the vehicle. Got it? Good!
Hand Signals. Now that we’re buckled up and good to go, it’s time for hand signals! You use hand signals to indicate your intentions to other drivers. These may come in handy if your turn signals or brakes don’t work, but more likely you’ll find them useful for interpreting the actions of bicyclists who often use hand signals before stopping, changing lanes or making turns.
There are 3 hand signals that the DMV examiner will ask you to exhibit during the pre-drive portion of your test: LEFT, RIGHT, and STOP. Let’s demonstrate.
With your window rolled down, extend your left hand out of the window. Holding your hand straight out like this signals your intention to move LEFT. That’s pretty easy – extend your arm to the LEFT to go LEFT.
To signal to the RIGHT, hold your hand up at a 90-degree angle like this. This one is easy to remember because it’s like you’re raising your hand to signal that you have the RIGHT answer. Simple enough.
Finally, we have the hand signal for slowing down or stopping. This one is the exact opposite, instead of raising your hand, you point your hand down towards the ground at a 90-degree angle. This is the hand signal for STOP.
Now that you know your hand signals, let’s turn our attention to the 9 remaining pre-drive controls the DMV examiner will ask you to identify.
1) Turn Signals. Turn signals are located on the left side of the steering wheel. Simply press down for left, and up for right. The examiner will inspect your turn signal lights from outside the vehicle to make sure they are working.
2) Brake Lights. The examiner also needs to verify that your brake lights are working. All you need to do is step on the brake pedal when instructed. Just make sure your car is in the parking gear if you are asked to take your foot off the brake. The last thing you want is for your car to start rolling unexpectedly, causing you to fail your test before even leaving the DMV!
3) Gear Shifter or Gear Selector. The examiner will ask you to identify the main gears on the gear selector or shifter. We recommend taking your test in a car with automatic transmission where the 4 common gears all cars should have are Park, Reverse, Neutral, and Drive. Some cars also have other selections like brake-assist and lower gears, but knowing the 4 standard gears is all you need to know on the DMV test.
4) Hazard Lights. Hazard lights, sometimes called emergency lights, can be located in several difference places depending on your vehicle. Fortunately, the symbol for hazard lights is a universal double-triangle, usually colored red. Just make sure to know where the hazard lights control is on your vehicle.
5) Emergency Brake. The examiner will ask you to release and reset the emergency brake, which is also sometimes called the parking brake. Again, depending on your vehicle, the emergency brake may be located differently. On the Prius and in many cars, the emergency brake is located near the floor of your vehicle and is operated with your left foot. Other cars will have an emergency brake lever that you pull up to activate – this is usually located near the center console. Other vehicles may have a push-button parking brake like this vehicle does. Just make sure you know where yours is, and how to use it of course!
6) Window Defroster. Most cars have both a front and rear window defroster control. Learn where these are located on your vehicle. The front defroster symbol is shaped like a windshield, and the rear defroster is shaped like a rectangle. Easy!
7) Windshield Wipers. While many cars nowadays have both front and rear window wipers, the DMV examiner is primally concerned with your front wipers only. The examiner usually only asks you to POINT to the windshield wipers control, but you really need to know how to use them. Afterall, if it happens to rain on your DMV test and you don’t know how to correctly activate your wipers, you just entered the auto-fail zone. Make sure you understand how the low, high, and intermittent windshield wiper settings work on your vehicle.
8) Headlights. Like several other controls we have discussed, your headlight controls will operate differently depending on your vehicle. The headlight control is usually located to the left of the steering column and has many potential settings: automatic lights, daytime running lights, parking lights, fog lights, high beams and low beams. Become familiar with your lighting controls, and make sure you know how to activate your low beam lights in case it rains, fogs, or becomes dark during your drive test.
9) Horn. We saved the easiest for last! Know where the horn is located on your steering wheel and be prepared to honk it gently, like so.
And there you have it, the complete set of DMV Pre-Drive Test questions! Get comfortable with all of these controls in your vehicle’s cockpit and you should ace this first portion of your drive test, no problem.
Thanks for watching and until next time, stay safe out there!