Exciting Journey: Passing the California Driving Test! 🥳

Guess what? I just passed my driving test with only 1 point deducted! So thrilled! 🎉 The deduction was at a road intersection for speed—my instructor assured me it was a mere symbolic deduction, almost like getting a perfect score. What made it even better? My examiner was a super nice guy from Vietnam, dressed in black. Check out the photo! (Image 2)

Your Guide to Getting a California Driver’s License

It took just one week for me to secure my California driver’s license. Here’s how I did it:

Test Location

🌟 Route: Laguna Hills

Process Overview

1. Visit www.dmv.ca.gov to fill out the application.
2. On September 18 (Wednesday), submitted my documents (passport, two proofs of residency, I-94) at the Santa Ana DMV.
3. On September 20 (Friday), took the written test at Costa Mesa DMV after the Santa Ana location suddenly closed. (Had studied for a day prior!)
4. On September 21 (Saturday), had a one-hour practice session with my instructor on the test route, then scheduled an expedited appointment for the Laguna Hills driving test. (DMV is closed on weekends, and practicing on the test route in the instructor’s car on weekdays isn’t allowed.)
5. On September 24 (Tuesday), passed the Laguna Hills driving test with just 1 point off!

Examination Preparation Tips

Driving Test Preparation

✔️ Practiced once on the exam route with my instructor to get familiar with both the route and key testing points. Even though I had a Chinese driver’s license, I drove occasionally in the U.S.

Written Test Preparation

✔️ I spent one day getting ready for the written test using the following materials:

• 📘 The DMV handbook and traffic sign guide.
• 🏴‍☠️ Four sets of sample questions from the DMV website (10 questions each).
• 📱 The California Driver’s License app to complete the question bank.
• 📱 Used the Drivemate app to practice 100 questions while waiting for the exam.

Written Test Tips

• ✔️ You can skip tricky questions up to three times, but keep in mind they will appear at the end of the exam.
• ✔️ The test paper is a direct translation from English to Traditional Chinese, which can be confusing. Be prepared to analyze specific terms like “zero-emission vehicle designated parking,” which actually means electric vehicle charging stations! 🤯
• ✔️ It would be great if there was a Simplified Chinese manual and exam available. 🤦‍♂️

Driving Test Tips

✔️ Spending $150 on one session with an instructor was invaluable. Despite my experience, U.S. driving rules and habits differ significantly from those in my home country. Practicing with my instructor helped identify key points and common deductions.

• ✔️ Avoid making fundamental errors, as these will lead to automatic failure.
• ✔️ Always remember: if the light is green, don’t stop! For red lights, stop, observe, and then turn right.
• ✔️ At STOP signs, come to a complete stop—reduce speed to 0 and wait for two seconds before turning. At intersections with four stops, the first car to arrive has the right of way; if cars arrive simultaneously, the vehicle on the right goes first.
• ✔️ Pedestrians always have the right of way.
• ✔️ When changing lanes or turning, always look over your shoulder and check your blind spots, not just the rear-view mirror! 👀

🌟 More detailed insights on pitfalls and key points from the written and driving tests will be added later. I’m excited to share my experiences, and I hope this helps anyone striving for their California driver’s license! 🚗💨

#CaliforniaDriverLicense #CaliforniaDrivingTest #LagunaHillsDMV