Road test day in Ontario: the checklist, the car, and what the examiner is looking for

Test day nerves mostly come from not knowing what will happen. Here is exactly what happens, so the only thing left to think about is the driving.

What to bring

• Your current licence. A G1 for the G2 test, a G2 for the G test. It must not be expired.
• Your booking confirmation, on your phone or printed.
• Glasses or contact lenses if your licence says you need them. Examiners check.
• The car, which must meet the requirements below.
• Nothing else. You do not need your passport, your insurance papers in hand, or a practice log.

Arrive at least 20 minutes early. Late arrivals can lose their slot, and you will not want to be rushing.

The car

The examiner inspects the car before you drive. It must have:

• Valid registration and insurance
• Working headlights, brake lights, indicators and horn
• Working seatbelts, mirrors and windows
• Tyres in good condition and no warning lights on the dashboard
• No cracks in the windshield that block your view

If anything fails the check, the test does not go ahead and you lose the fee. This is the main reason learners use their instructor's car. It has passed this check many times, it has dual controls, and it is the car you have been practising in. On Sawari, instructors who offer test-day support say so on their profile.

Clear the car of clutter, and make sure nothing is on the dashboard or the rear shelf.

Before you move

When the examiner gets in, she or he will ask you to demonstrate the indicators, brake lights and horn, then explain briefly how the test works. Take a moment to adjust your seat and mirrors even if you already did. It signals care, and it settles you.

During the test

The examiner gives directions early and clearly, such as "at the next lights, turn left." They will not chat and will not react much. That silence is normal. It does not mean anything is wrong.

For a G2 test, expect around 20 minutes on residential and main streets, with parking manoeuvres. For a G test, expect around 30 minutes including a stretch of highway.

The habits examiners fail people for

Most fails are not dramatic. They are small things done repeatedly. The ones instructors see most:

1. Missing shoulder checks on lane changes and turns. Turn your head. The examiner is watching for it.
2. Rolling through stop signs. Come to a complete stop, behind the line, every time.
3. Speed. Over the limit is an obvious problem, but crawling well under it in normal conditions is marked too.
4. Late or missing signals. Signal before you slow down, not while you are already turning.
5. Following too closely, especially at highway speed.
6. Hesitation at intersections when the way is clear. Confidence, not speed.
7. Curb contact during parking. Slow and corrected is fine. Bumping the curb is not.

An automatic fail comes from anything dangerous: the examiner having to intervene, running a red light, or a collision. Those are rare when you have prepared properly.

After the test

You will be told the result at the centre, with a sheet showing where you lost marks. If you pass a G2 test, you can drive on your own from that day. If you pass the G test, you hold a full licence.

If you do not pass, it is not the end. You can rebook after a short waiting period, and the sheet tells you exactly what to work on. Book a lesson with your instructor on those points, and try again.

The night before

Sleep. Eat breakfast. Do not do a two-hour practice session the night before; a short, calm drive over the test area is plenty. Decide what you will wear so you are not thinking about it in the morning. Then trust the preparation you have done.

If you want an instructor to prepare you and take you to the test in her car, find a female driving instructor near you and check the road-test support on her profile.