Tips For Passing ICBC Road test in Prince George

Preparation and Vehicle Requirements:

  • ICBC recommends 60 hours of driving practice before your road test.
  • Ensure your vehicle is safe, clean, and reliable; otherwise, ICBC may cancel your test. Check ICBC’s vehicle safety checklist online.

Day of the Test:

  • Arrive at the ICBC office 15 minutes before your appointment.
  • Back-in to the parking stall at the ICBC office.
  • Bring all required IDs and fees (ICBC accepts cash, Visa, Mastercard, American Express, debit cards, )
  • Have your license plate number or a picture of the license plate on your phone.
  • Know your keyword (the password set up when you got your learner’s license)
  • Turn off your cell phone or set it to silent.

Driving Skills ICBC Examiners Test:

  1. Observations:

    • Pre-trip: Walk around your vehicle to ensure it’s safe to drive.
    • Shoulder checks: Before turning, pulling over, making lane changes, or changing lane positions.
    • LCR scans: Scan left, center, and right before entering intersections or passing side streets.
    • Mirror checks: Before turning or changing road positions, and every 5-8 seconds.
    • 360-degree check: Before changing directions, leaving and re-entering traffic, or changing gears.
    • Hazard perception: Pull over and identify potential hazards as directed by the examiner.

  2. Space Margins:

    • Lane position: Maintain a legal vehicle position with good visibility and safe space margins.
    • Side margins: Leave at least 1 meter of space when passing cyclists or pedestrians.
    • Following distance: Maintain a 2-second following distance in good conditions, increasing to 3-4 seconds on high-speed roads, in adverse weather, or behind large vehicles or motorcycles.
    • Stopping distance: Ensure you can see the tires of the vehicle in front of you and a good chunk of pavement.
    • Gap: Choose safe gaps in traffic for merging or lane changes.
    • Maneuvers: Use good judgment for safe locations when completing maneuvers.

  3. Speed Control:

    • Speed maintenance: Drive at a consistent, legal, safe, and appropriate speed for the conditions.
    • Stops: Always bring your vehicle to a full stop where required.
    • Amber light: Stop for amber lights when safe, do not speed up to beat the light.
    • Cover brake: Be ready to stop when approaching potential hazards.
    • School and playground zones: Adhere strictly to posted speed limits, ensuring your speed is reduced before entering and maintained until exiting the zones. School zones are active from 8 am-5 pm on school days; playground zones from dawn to dusk daily.

  4. Steering:

    • Turns and curves: Keep wheels straight while waiting to turn left and make smooth, clean turns staying within your lane.
    • Wheel and hand position: Maintain proper hand positions (9 and 3) and ensure wheels are turned appropriately when parked uphill or downhill.

  5. Communication:

    • Signal use and timing: Use correct turn signals in advance but not too early to avoid confusing others.
    • Cancel signal: Turn off signals after completing maneuvers.
    • Hand signals: Know and use hand signals if vehicle signals are not working.
    • Vehicle positioning: Position your vehicle relevant to your actions (e.g., closer to the right side for a right turn).
    • Lights: Use headlights during the day for better visibility and brake lights to signal slowing or stopping.
    • Horn: Use the horn to alert others of hazards or dangers.
    • Eye contact: Make eye contact with pedestrians to communicate it’s safe for them to cross.

Last Tip:

  • Practice, practice, practice.