Students stress over driving test

Ayeza Imtiaz, Online reporter

Traffic lights, indicators, stop signs, switching lanes, maneuvering your vehicle are all things you need to know for your road test. The road test is one of the scariest things a teenager would say they’ve had to face. The immense pressure of your friends and peers to get your license is pretty intense, especially in high school.

Getting your license is a huge milestone for many teenagers. Although it is something very exciting for many, it can be very nerve wracking for others. Many people choke before their tests or even during their tests.

Having your license allows for the freedom to go wherever you desire without having to ask your parents to take you places. You can now hang out whenever you want with your friends. All of this sounds great, but there is a lot of training and hours that go into obtaining your license.

You have to take segment 1 and segment 2 courses. Segment 1 involves 24 hours of classroom instruction and 6 hours behind the wheel. Segment 2 requires you to have a level 1 license for at least 3 consecutive months and 30 hours behind the wheel with a parent or guardian, as well as 2 hours of night driving. Segment 2 also requires 6 hours of classroom instruction.

“I started my drivers training in March of this year,” senior Kinjal Chudasama said. “It took a lot of time out of my day. Every single day after school I went and drove in the car with my instructor, but I will say that I learned a lot which is why I believe I am a great driver.”

The road test causes an immense amount of nerves and there are a number of things to expect. During your road test, you must be fully prepared because one minor mistake can be an automatic fail. Practice is the only thing that will accommodate you during your road test.

“I was afraid of failing because you have to be perfect during your examination,” junior Justin Salisbury said. “The hardest part of driving is definitely parallel parking.”

You can take a number of classes but until you’re behind the wheel, you won’t fully be ready. Failing to stop at the stop sign, failing to turn on your indicator, violating traffic laws is an automatic fail,  and knocking down a cone is an automatic fail.

“I haven’t taken my road test yet but it is something I’m really nervous about,” junior Valentina Ivanaj said. “My expectations are very low for the instructors but not for myself, I think I will pass”.

A driving school that is well known in Utica, Courtesy Driving School offers various amounts of classes behind the road as well as in classrooms. They are very accommodating in obtaining your license and also offer a  numerous amounts of tips. http://www.courtesydrivingschool.com

“You have to take segment 1 and 2 classes, practice with your parents and get the driving skills test study guide,” Courtesy Driving School representative Anna said.  “The best thing to calm your nerves during the test is to know you can always take it again if you don’t pass the first time and go in with confidence.”

The driving test may seem overwhelming but it is ultimately worth it in the end.