National Road Traffic Act, 1996 (Act No. 93 of 1996)NoticesK53 Practical Driving Test for Motor Vehicle Drivers, Volume 4 - Light Motor Vehicle Combinations : Code EB licences3. Implementation of the test |
Testing shall only be conducted during normal office hours on weekdays, from 07:00 to 17:00 and Saturdays from 07:00 to 13:00. No testing shall take place on Sundays and Public holidays.
The examiner for driving licences shall not comment on, mention, or discuss any error made by the applicant during the test, nor may he/she assist the applicant during the execution of any manoeuvre or action.
The examiner shall record all the relevant information required on the test report.
The examiner shall not pose any questions to test the applicant's theoretical knowledge during the practical test.
The examiner shall not allow anyone or anything to hinder, instruct or obstruct an applicant during a test and the applicant shall be under his/her direct supervision at all times.
Only the examiner, representatives of the Inspectorate / Provincial monitors or supervisor of examiners may accompany applicants during tests.
From the commencement of the yard test to the completion of the road test, the following items shall be marked throughout:
| • | Violation of traffic law, |
| • | Uncontrolled / Dangerous action, and |
| • | Collision I Mechanical failure. |
Any travelling to be done in the vehicle being used for the test may only be done after completion of the pre-trip inspection and shall be driven by the applicant.
Should the applicant fail the test at any stage and in the opinion of the examiner, it would be unsafe for the applicant to continue driving, the examiner may drive such vehicle when returning to the driving licence testing centre.
On completion of the test, the applicant shall sign the test report and a copy shall be handed to the applicant, after it has been discussed with him/her.
3.1 Yard Test
Before the commencement of the yard test, the examiner shall inform the applicant of the following:
| (a) | that the yard test (pre-trip inspections and manoeuvres) shall be completed within 20 minutes, (stopwatch time) |
| (b) | stopping shall be permitted at any stage during certain manoeuvres, |
| (c) | observation shall be done and signals given as though on a public road, |
| (d) | wearing of a seatbelt shall not be necessary during the yard test, |
| (e) | should the test be terminated at any stage, the full test shall have to be repeated, |
| (f) | all road traffic signs, signals, rules and markings shall be obeyed, |
| (g) | touching any obstacle or mounting a kerb shall not be permissible, |
| (h) | no uncontrolled or dangerous action shall be permitted, |
| (i) | the push and pull method of steering is not required during the yard test, and |
| (j) | questions may be asked pertaining the above. |
| • | the stopwatch time will be stopped to allow for the coupling and uncoupling of the trailer when the parallel parking manoeuvre is done. |
| • | The examiner shall guide the applicant to the starting point of every yard test manoeuvre, instruct him/her to apply the parking brake, select neutral and cancel the signal. (If applicable) |
| • | All errors made during both the first and the attempt shall be recorded, (entering and leaving) |
| • | The instructions and explanation to conduct a manoeuvre during the yard test shall only be given whilst the vehicle is stationary prior to the commencement of that specific manoeuvre. |
3.1.1 Pre-trip inspection
A physical pre-trip inspection shall be executed irrespective of weather conditions on instruction and under supervision of the examiner for every test.
Exterior (Module 1)
| (a) | The examiner shall accompany the applicant to his/her vehicle, where the applicant shall conduct a pre-trip exterior inspection, prior to entering the vehicle. |
| (b) | The examiner may allow minor defects to be rectified, however, no extra time shall be allowed and the stopwatch shall not be stopped. |
| (c) | Should the vehicles be considered unroadworthy, the examiner shall circle the black block under the heading "ROADWORTHINESS" on the test report, make a cross in the "Fail" block and immediately discontinue the test. |
Interior (Module 2)
| (a) | The examiner shall request the applicant to enter the vehicle and operate the lights, (dipped beam and main beam) direction indicators, stop lights, wipers and horn on request. |
| (b) | Should the vehicles be considered unroadworthy, the examiner shall circle the black block under the heading 'ROADWORTHINESS" on the test report, make a cross in the "Fail" block and immediately discontinue the test. |
| (c) | The examiner shall request the applicant to proceed with the pre-trip inspection. |
| (d) | The examiner may allow minor defects to be rectified, however, no extra time shall be allowed and the stopwatch shall not be stopped. |
| 3.1.2 | Left turn (Module 15) |
The examiner shall instruct the applicant to:
| (a) | steer the vehicle around the bend without stopping, mounting the kerb or touching any boundary lines, and |
| (b) | this manoeuvre is completed when the steering axle of the drawing vehicle, is on the left-hand side of the road, adjacent to the 45" line, where it meets the broken centre line. |
| 3.1.3 | Reverse in a straight line (Module 16) |
The examiner shall instruct the applicant to:
| (a) | stop with the front-end of the vehicle immediately above or over the starting line, |
| (b) | reverse the vehicle within the demarcated area without stopping, |
| (c) | complete the manoeuvre in one attempt without touching any side boundary lines, and |
| (d) | stop with the rear wheels of the vehicle within or beyond the 5m stopping zone. |
| 3.1.4 | Alley docking (to the right) (Module 17) |
Entering
The examiner shall inform the applicant of the following:
| (a) | stopping is permissible at any stage, |
| (b) | one forward movement may be permitted for each attempt, and |
| (c) | a 2nd (final) attempt may be made if the 1st attempt was unsuccessful, provided that no obstacle or boundary line has been touched. |
The examiner shall instruct the applicant to:
| (a) | stop to the right of the boundary line, with the front end of the vehicle immediately above or over the 14m starting line, and |
| (b) | reverse to the right into the demarcated area without touching any obstacle or boundary line and stop where indicated. (The rear-end of the vehicle shall be past the "3rd" set of obstacles) |
Leaving
The examiner shall instruct the applicant to steer out of the demarcated area without touching any obstacles and stop where indicated.
| 3.1.5 | Parallel parking (to the left and right) (Modules 18 and 19) |
The trailer shall be parked and uncoupled before this manoeuvre can commence. The side from which the first manoeuvre is executed shall be determined by the examiner.
Entering
The examiner shall inform the applicant of the following:
| (a) | stopping is permissible at any stage, and |
| (b) | a 2nd (final) attempt may be made if the 1st attempt was unsuccessful, provided that no obstacle has been touched or the kerb mounted. |
The examiner shall instruct the applicant to:
| (a) | position vehicle at starting point, |
| (b) | only three (3) movements shall be permitted, the first movement being a reverse movement into the parking bay, and two further movements to position the vehicle within the parking bay without touching any obstacle or mounting the kerb, and |
| (c) | a 2nd (final) attempt may be made if the 1st attempt was unsuccessful, provided that no obstacle has been touched or the kerb mounted. |
Leaving
The examiner shall instruct the applicant:
| (a) | to steer out of the demarcated area without touching any obstacle or mounting the kerb, and stop where indicated, and |
| (b) | that the number of movements to leave the parking bay are unlimited. |
On completion of the parallel parking, (left and right) the trailer shall again be hitched and coupled to the drawing vehicle, where the examiner shall check the operation of all rear lamps on the trailer before continuing with the test.
3.1.6 Incline start (Module 20 and 21)
The examiner shall instruct the applicant:
| (a) | to stop where indicated without allowing the vehicle to move backwards, |
| (b) | to move off without rolling back, and |
| (c) | that only one attempt shall be permissible. |
3.2 Road Test
| 3.2.1 | Prior to the commencement of the road test, the applicable information and instructions shall be given to the applicant whilst the vehicle is stationary and the engine is switched off. |
| 3.2.2 | Following a pre-established test route, the examiner shall not give any instruction to carry out an illegal action, and shall instruct the applicant: |
| (a) | well in advance, |
| (b) | in a clear, concise and audible manner, |
| (c) | if necessary, repeat any instruction, |
| (d) | giving, as far as possible, one instruction at a time, |
| (e) | that if he/she has a physical disability, he/she shall nevertheless attempt to check the appropriate blind spot, |
| (f) | that should the test be terminated at any stage, the full test shall have to be repeated, (this includes the yard test and road test) |
| (g) | that the wearing of the seatbelt is now compulsory as well as the "push and pull" method of steering, and |
| (h) | all road traffic signs, signals, rules and markings shall be obeyed. |
| 3.2.3 | A lane change and at least one of the hand signals, shall be executed irrespective of the weather conditions on instruction of the examiner during every test. |
| 3.2.4 | For the purpose of this test, the following shall constitute a road test: |
| (a) | the duration of the road test shall exceed 20 minutes, |
| (b) | the pre-established test route, which complies with the minimum requirements, shall be completed, and |
| (c) | when 45 minutes has elapsed, provided that the minimum requirements on such test route have been met. |
| 3.3 | Collision |
| 3.3.1 | Should the applicant cause a collision or be involved in a collision which is considered to have been avoidable, circle the black block under the heading 'COLLISION/MECH.FAIL" on the test report and make a cross in the "FAIL" block and immediately discontinue the test. |
| 3.3.2 | Should the collision be considered to have been unavoidable a cross shall be indicated in the white block under the heading "COLLISION / MECH.FAIL", and the applicant shall be given the option of completing the test if the vehicle is still roadworthy. |
| 3.3.3 | If the vehicle is unroadworthy and/or the applicant wishes to have the test deferred, a cross shall be made in the block marked "DEFERRED" and the test discontinued, provided that no black block was circled prior to the collision. |
3.4 Mechanical failure
| 3.4.1 | Should the test in progress be terminated due to mechanical failure of the vehicle, the test shall be deferred, and a cross shall be made in the "DEFERRED" block, provided that no black block was circled prior to the mechanical failure. |
3.5 Deferred test
| 3.5.1 | Should a test be deferred, the reason shall be recorded under "GENERAL REMARKS". |
| 3.5.2 | Should the test be deferred at any stage the applicant shall again be subjected to a full test. |