A novice is a person who was able to pass their driver’s test but also have been driving for less than a year, often referred to as a debutante.
Prepare For Your N Road Test
To be fully prepared for your test, you must have plenty of on-road driving experience at different times of the day as well as different weather conditions whilst being accompanied by an experienced supervisor as well as consider taking a driving course to gain good control.
Furthermore, it is also important to mention that you will be able to take the previously stated driving course as long as you have had your ‘L’ (learners) license for twelve months with a clean and prohibition-free record. More so, your ID should contain your name, signature, or photographical identification on it.
What to Expect On Your Road Test
The entirety of your road test will take place over a span of 45 minutes which includes the time taken to assess how well you performed where your exam-taker will guide you towards a route that will allow you to demonstrate your driving skills.
The examiner will assess your abilities based on how well you can demonstrate several different skill sets such as safety, how smooth you can drive as well as the degree of control you have over the vehicle. However, do not fret! Your examiner is not insistent after perfection such as how perfectly you are able parallel or Angle Park. It is most vital for every driver to first and foremost consider the safety of themselves and those around them and to follow directions. It is also important to note that nervousness and anxiousness about your road test are completely normal and mostly everyone who takes the test feels that way and that your examtakers will help you to feel more comfortable as they too wish for you to do your best and pass your test based on fair and just marking based on your performance.
Your N Sign and Restrictions
When you have reached your Novice stage as a driver, you will now have a sign on the back of your vehicle, much like the red ‘L’ sign given to a driver in their learner stage, which will now be replaced with a reflective green ‘N’.
In the circumstance that you may have somehow lost your ‘N’ sign, there would be no need for you to buy a new one as you will be able to acquire one for free through any driver licensing office near you. On that note, please refrain from creating your sign with duct tape or other means as inventive as they may be, it is not permitted by the law!
As at this stage you have been granted the ‘N’ sign you are officially a novice diver, therefore will be allowed to drive on your own so it is important that you drive responsibly and follow directions as to any shortcomings in doing so (such as tickets or prohibitions) as a graduated and licensed drive you must then face graduated licensing penalties.
Many of the restrictions are as follows:
- No alcohol or drugs
- An easily visible ‘N’ sign
- No electronic gadget should be in use whilst driving
- Limit on number of passengers that may accompany you as you drive (your immediate family is exempted from these obligations)
Use of Cellphone While Driving
Whilst you are in the possession of a novice (N) license, you are prohibited from the use of gadgets or electronic devices such as your cellphone with the only exception being an emergency call to your emergency service.
Following these rules puts you under the restrictions that go as follow:
- The contact with your cellphone by means of touch, selecting a song, or anything that follows in the same manner
- The use of your cellphone through any hands-free system such as Bluetooth, putting your phone on speaker, the use of a GPS system, or a wireless head-set
Identity Theft or Fraud
Identity theft is now one of the most common and rapidly spreading crimes around the world. Identity theft is the means of another person gaining access to and using your personal information without your consent in order to most commonly, commit fraud theft or any other sort of crime and so it is always wise to remember to protect your identity in order to be safe.
Although it is not entirely possible to control whether you fall prey to such thievery, it can, however, be minimized through simple means.
As a driver’s license is a globally very common and accepted source of identification, it is entirely possible for your license to be duplicated or scanned through social media as a tool in the act of committing a crime and so it is advised to avoid taking pictures of or with your license and uploading it to social media as it exposes your personal information and so it is vital to remain cautious of who you share your personal information with online.