Exam and study tips to pass Singapore’s Practical Driving Test Exam

Here is my first article on getting your Driving Licence In Singapore At BBDC (Review, Cost Savings Tips, Guide)

I will split the study tips into three sections.

1. Circuit ( Please see details below)
2. Basic Theory
3. Final Theory

Checking

1: rear mirror

2: side mirror

3: blind spot

4: side mirror

5: look in front

Moving off

• Adjust mirror
• Fasten seatbelt
• Release handbrake
• Select correct gear
• Apply brake when shifting to D or R
• Ensure gear is in P before starting engine
• Dont delay in moving off
• Sufficient and smooth acceleration
• Start car within 5 mins
• Move off when 2 lanes are cleared
• Move off when the car pass your shoulder
• At the slope, pull up handbrake before releasing footbrake

Check mirror  

• Check blindspot correctly
• Before moving off 
• Before slowing down
• Before stopping
• Before turning
• Before changing lane
• Before overtaking
• Rear mirror 5-10s

Check blind spot

• Before turning
• Before changing lanes
• Before moving left or right

Look out for traffic

• Side road
• Junction

Traffic light

• Brake on third arrow
• Check rear mirror before driving off
• Cover brake from 2nd to first arrow before traffic light.
• After the third arrow, then speed up
• Remove leg from accelerator on the 3rd arrow
• Intermittent braking is not needed for good weather. Don’t do it at traffic light 
• Hold braking from second to first arrow at traffic light

Steering wheel

• Do not turn it while stationary
• Accelerate and gently steer towards next lane gradually
• Steer a little and accelerate to change lane. If not tester thinks you cannot control the steering wheel
• Turn steering wheel back with hands. Do not let it rotate back on its own

Speed

• Hump school zone , speed is 20

Braking

• Smooth braking
• Do not apply brake when car is stationary
• Move steering wheel abit when changing lane
• Cover the brake pedal when slowing down at zebra crossing, approaching traffic light etc
• Brake: start with more pressure initially then gradually reducing as approaching the stop

Lane

• Be on the left lane

• Keep within lane. Dont drift off.
• Right turn + right lane
• Left lane if 2 lanes are going right
• Don’t brake when lane change

Parking

• Do not obstruct people from parking

Changing lane

• MSSB for each lane change. Rmb to cancel signal
• If car is at the top of the mirror, it is safe to change lane.
• If car is at the bottom of the mirror, it might not be too safe.
• Do not change lane abruptly
• Do not change lane near junction or side road or bend or u turn or near pedestrian or near signalized junction or near bus bay
• Check before changing lane
• When shifting to the left lane, signal and do a change after junction
• MSSB for each lane change. Finally, cancel signal
• Wait until both lanes are cleared then drive out
• You can change lane if car is right behind u 
• Change lane, lane by lane
• Turn 45 degree if front car is near u
• Area to avoid when changing lane

• Near junction or side road or bend or u turn or near pedestrian or near signalized junction or near bus bay
• You need to finish changing lane by third arrow if not too near the junction

Lane(special)

• Special. Depending on arrow on ground
• When instructor says go straight, maybe go centre or right lane 
• Bukit Gombak has yellow box, go to the right lane 
• Near bukit gombak mrt. Signal right to go right lane as the left lane is to turn left

Right turn

• Right turn + right lane
• Pocket if any
• You have to be on the EXTREME right lane, then you can make the right turn
  • Even if the lane is big, you will have to signal right to move it more towards your right
• Check blind spot not too fast. About 2 seconds/ one car length before turning
• Check if you are on major or minor road
• When turning right, give way to car with the right way
• When going to the right lane, complete MSSB 1 car length before turning
• If you are on minor road, wait for those to finish their turn on the major road then you proceed. Turn after they are at your shoulder
• Right turning car: stop near pedestrian crossing but dont cross to the other lane
• Left running car: stop behind pedestrian crossing line
• Position car 0.5-1 lane before the lane i am turning in
• MSSB to move towards the right side
• Before right turn, MSSB

Slow down

• Slow down when approaching road hazard
• Speed is not too slow
• Slow down when see pedestrian or cyclist
• Do not exceed speed limit
• At bend, junction, hump, zebra crossing

Passing obstacles

• Moving vehicles/ stationary car/ fixed obstacles
• Do not ride/stop beside motorcyclist or cyclist
• Keep at least 1/1.5m away from road users

Stopping

• Must stop at stop line even if there is no car
• Do not stop unnecessarily
• Do not cause other vehicles to slow down or evade 
• Do not stop on the pedestrian crossing
• When there is a traffic light in front, the horizontal line is not a stop line.

Stopping distance

• Stop behind a car: see their tyre

Kerb

• Check rear mirror at least 5 seconds before slowing down or stopping
• Signal at least 3 seconds before moving off, stopping and turning 
• Check blind spot in about 1 second
• Stopping at kerb side: 0.2-0.4m away from kerb
• Check blind spot even if it is stopping near kerb, moving off from kerb
• Signal when moving towards the kerb
• Signal when moving off from kerb
• Turn steering wheel abit when moving off from kerb

Give way

• Give way to pedestrians at the pedestrian crossing
• Give way to traffic with right of way
• Give way line on the road
• Give way line on bus

Others

• Do not drive across the centre line
• Obey sign

Driver’s signal (general)

• Make sure there is signal
• Cancel signal
• Signal 3 seconds before action
• Cancel signal 
• Give correct signal
• When you want to filter the lanes: Dont signal first when 2-3 cars are approaching you
• Filter right: alot of cars on your right so you cannot go out. Slow down and signal. Or slow down, wait for them to pass you and signal.
• From the right lane to left. Signal first

Signal

• Before moving off
• Cancel signal when done
• Changing lane
• Before movement
• When see hazard

Traffic signal

• Do not proceed on amber light, blinking green arrow, red light
• If you cannot stop in time as light change from amber to red, just go
• Remove leg from accelerator on the 3rd arrow
• Cover brake from 2nd to first arrow before traffic light.
• After the third arrow, then speed up
• After passing the third arrow, if it is amber. Just go

Junction

• Correct positioning 
• Do not cause inconvenience to cross traffic
• Proper turning for wide turn and sharp turn
• Correct lane
• Stop at stop line
• Form up correctly
• Dont change lane
• At junction, stay behind motorbike. Do not accelerate when it is beside me 

Accelerate

• Accelerate only after the wheels return

Kerb

• Do not strike or mount the kerb

Turn

• Dont make wide turn
• Slow down before turn
• Do not use left lane to turn right because you need to turn to the right lane cus it is a right turn
• Dont make a sharp turn
• Dont make wide turn
• Half turn vs full turn vs all the way lock
• Stop at centre, wait then turn
• Stop nearer to kerb, wait then turn
• Do not stop halfway when turning
• You can only start right turn ½ - 1 lane away (can use arrow on the floor as gauge)
• Use arrow or kerb as a gauge, reference to your side mirror 
• Make ½ turn if road is wide then adjust accordingly
• Your car needs to stop at the first pedestrian line with reference to the mirror if traffic light is not green
• Complete checking blindspot about 2 seconds before turning
• Cancel signal after turn 

Bend

• Slow down at bend
• Follow the curb and turn for gentle bend.
• Dunid to move when shoulder is at kerb if bend is wide

U turn (signal right, signal left to be back on left lane)

• Can make U turn after the sign
• Form up in extreme right lane
•  Full lock right when shoulder at the the area between 2 pedestrian crossings or side mirror at kerb or shoulder passes kerb
• U turn when shoulder pass kerb (full lock right)
• Change back to left lane as soon as it is safe to do so
• Always turn into the nearest lane which the running radius allow
• Start turning steering wheel when the car is almost straight
• Once you turn, dont brake
• Follow the arrow on the ground, on where to turn

Wide divider u turn

• Signal right. Rear mirror. Side mirror. Blind spot. Move towards right side (right lane)
• Check mirror and blind spot before turning 
• Wide turn: follow and turn
• Position, straighten the wheel, perpendicular to the giveaway line. 1m from kerb. 
• Signal and be on the left lane

Narrow divider u turn

• Signal right. Rear mirror. Side mirror. Blind spot. Move towards right side (right lane)
• Check mirror and blind spot before turning 
• Sighting point: when shoulder passes the kerb, turn steering wheel towards centre lane
• Position: car is slanted, havent cross the give way line
• Signal and be on the left lane

Yellow box

• Check for Yellow box on the ground 
• Take note of 3 yellow boxes in circuit
• Dont step into it if no space
• Take not of yellow box near petrol station and bus stop
• Check if there is space for u. Otherwise, don’t go into yellow box. Take not of yellow box near petrol station and bus stop
• Stop behind the yellow box if front space is taken during red traffic light 

Hazard on the road

• Signal x2 then check safety (Signal right to bypass hazard, signal left to go back)
• Slow down
• Numbers on the left side of circuit: turn after the number
• Right side: turn before the number
• Reduce speed when passing by junction
• Roadwork
• Parked vehicles
• Stationary vehicles move suddenly
• Entrance and exit of car park
• Reduce speed when bypassing bus
• Check traffic condition after spotting hazard
• Signal right. Rear mirror. Side mirror. Blind spot
• Accelerate and steer gently towards the other lane.
• Signal left. Rear mirror. Side mirror. Blind spot
• To go left lane
• Cancel signal
• Can stop behind bus if not troublesome to go back to left lane

 Reacting to road hazard

• pedestrians/ cyclist (keep 1.5m or 1m away)
• Traffic signal may change
• Bus may turn right into my path
• Lorry turning out from slip road may move into the right lane
• Bend: slip road
• Parked vehicle obstructing my path

1. Check traffic condition after spotting hazard
2. Signal right. Rear mirror. Side mirror. Blind spot
3. Accelerate and steer gently towards the other lane.
4. Signal left. Rear mirror. Side mirror. Blind spot
5. To go left lane
6. Cancel signal

Turning

• No traffic light: turn after you are one lane away
• Do not use left lane to turn right
• Do not use left lane to turn right because you need to turn to the right lane cus it is a right turn
• Dont make a sharp turn
• Right turn should be done before the number sign

Bus stop

• Slow down
• Stop behind bus at give way line
• If bus is around and there is no bus lane, there is room for one car before the yellow line 

Petrol station

• Yellow box

Side road

• Yellow box
• Slow down 

Filter lane

• Check blind spot before entering and after exiting filter lane

Reversing

• Turn and look at the rear windscreen when reversing
• Check rear view mirror
• Signal
• Reduce speed
• Check surroundings
• Change gear

Merging lane

• Merging lane : indicated on the ground or lane reduced by one
• Merge: alternate vehicles take turn. Signal left/ right. Check blindspot

Downslope

• Press button and move gear to S
• Move up to D without touching button

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