3 Secrets to Passing Your G2 test 

Pssst: wondering how to ace your road test – or at least drive away with your full G license? Here are three driving instructor tips and tricks for success the first time at your G2 test.

1. Don’t rush signing up for your G2 road test.

The best way to pass your G2 test on the first try is to amass as much practice time as possible. Become so familiar with the rules of the road and your car, that driving becomes second nature. Obvious right? Here’s the thing: car time can be easy for teens who live at home with two parents, but for older new drivers without a car (or single parent households for that matter), it can be a major logistical challenge.

Many urban Millennials, for instance, don’t own their own vehicle, and have no plans to buy one – this demographic is a heavy user of car-share programs, after all.

If your access to car time is piecemeal, find ways to sneak in more car time:

• Visit your parent(s) more often….and ask to use their car;


• Be the designated driver every weekend (remember: that means zero drinks);


• Call in favours from friends and grab 30 minutes here and there for a quick practice drive.


• Book the occasional professional driving lesson (they average $50 to $75 per hour), and get a driving instructor to assess where your skills are at, and whether you’re ready to book a pre-road test refresher package (these include a car for the road test). Don’t bother splurging on the latter package if your skills are still shaky.

New drivers have a one- to five-year window in which to take and pass their G2 road test and earn their full G license. If practice time is a challenge, it would be smart to take your test at the upper end of that limit – year three at least, so you can benefit from the cumulative gains of your limited driving time.

2. Consider traveling for that road test

In an ideal world, all road tests would take place on the same playing field. In reality, local traffic and road conditions affect your road test experience. Pass/fail rates at different DriveTest locations reflect that across the province.

Many driving schools will book GTA-area residents in at far-flung, but high-success-rate DriveTest locations such as Kenora or Bancroft, to boost their chances of success.

While it’s a perfectly legal strategy, it’s also worth noting it’s the driving equivalent of a Hail Mary pass in football, and a safer strategy would be to amass driving time in your own community – enough that you can pass the test locally – since these are the conditions in which you’ll be driving in everyday.

3. Don’t be a stranger.

Repeat after us: No surprises on test day:

• If you booked your road test in a town or city other than where you live, make sure to practice drive in that community in the weeks prior to your test, so you have a general sense of the lay of the land.

• Spend time in the car you plan to take the test in. Do not sign up for a one-off road-test session in an instructor’s car – take a couple lessons in his or her car beforehand, so you have a feel for that car, and for your instructor’s communication style.

Taking a road test can be a stressful experience, but by removing the element of surprise, you’ll improve your comfort level and confidence behind the wheel.

RELATED: What to avoid on your G2 test