Instant Fail: 10 Common Mistakes to Avoid on Your Arkansas Driving Test

You've passed the written exam, you've practiced for hours, and now the final step—the road test—is here. Even drivers who feel completely prepared can fail due to simple, avoidable mistakes made under the pressure of being evaluated by an Arkansas State Police examiner.

Knowing the most common pitfalls is your best defense. The examiner is looking for a driver who is safe, confident, and follows the law. Any action that demonstrates a lack of control, awareness, or knowledge of traffic laws can result in points deducted or even an immediate, automatic failure. Be mindful of these top 10 mistakes to ensure you pass with flying colors.

1. The "Hollywood" Stop (Rolling Stop)

This is one of the most frequent and critical errors. A rolling stop, where your vehicle's wheels never fully cease their rotation at a stop sign, is a guaranteed way to earn a failing mark.

• How to Avoid It: Come to a complete and total stop behind the solid white limit line or crosswalk. Feel the car's momentum fully stop. If it helps, count "one-one-thousand, two-one-thousand" in your head before proceeding. Only after a full stop should you check for traffic and move forward.

2. Failure to Observe (Mirrors and Blind Spots)

The examiner isn't just watching the road; they're watching you. They need to see constant proof that you are aware of your entire surroundings, not just what's in front of you.

• How to Avoid It: Make your head movements obvious. Check your rearview mirror every few seconds. Before any lane change, merge, or pull-away from the curb, you must perform the full safety check: Signal, check your rearview mirror, check your side mirror, and then physically turn your head to look over your shoulder into your blind spot.

3. Botching the Parallel Park

This is the single maneuver that causes the most anxiety, and for good reason. It requires precise control and spatial awareness. Hitting a cone or the curb can easily lead to a fail.

• How to Avoid It: There is no substitute for practice. Find an empty parking lot and set up cones or markers to simulate the test space. Follow a consistent, step-by-step method every single time. Go slowly, check all your mirrors, and don't be afraid to make small corrective movements.

4. Failure to Yield the Right-of-Way

This is a major safety violation and a critical error on the test. Forcing another driver or a pedestrian to stop or swerve to avoid you is an automatic fail.

• How to Avoid It: Be patient and defensive. Understand the rules for four-way stops, unprotected left turns (you must yield to all oncoming traffic), and merging. Always yield to pedestrians in crosswalks. When in doubt, it is always safer to yield.

5. Improper Speed Control

Demonstrating you can manage your speed according to the posted limits and current conditions is fundamental.

• How to Avoid It: Constantly be aware of the speed limit. Driving too fast is an obvious error, but driving excessively slow without reason (like heavy traffic or bad weather) can also cost you points for impeding the flow of traffic.

6. Following Too Closely

Tailgating is dangerous and shows the examiner you are not practicing defensive driving.

• How to Avoid It: Use the "two-second rule" as a minimum. When the vehicle ahead of you passes a fixed object (like a signpost), start counting. You should not reach that same object before you have finished counting to two. Increase this to three or four seconds in rain or heavy traffic.

7. Hitting the Curb

Whether you're making a turn, parking, or performing a three-point turn, striking the curb shows a lack of vehicle control.

• How to Avoid It: Practice helps you learn the dimensions of your car. During turns, give yourself adequate space without swinging too wide. During parking maneuvers, use your mirrors to gauge your distance and move slowly.

8. Wide or "Cutting" Turns

Clean, precise turns show you are in command of your vehicle.

• How to Avoid It: For right turns, stay in the lane closest to the right-hand curb. Don't swing wide into the next lane of traffic. For left turns, turn into the corresponding lane on the new road. Avoid "cutting the corner" by turning too soon and crossing over the centerline of the road you're entering.

9. Lack of Confidence or Excessive Hesitation

While the examiner expects you to be a little nervous, being overly hesitant can be dangerous. Indecisiveness at an intersection can confuse other drivers and lead to problems.

• How to Avoid It: The best cure for nerves is practice. The more you experience different traffic situations, the more confident you will become. Get a good night's sleep, and trust in the skills you've built.

10. Not Following Instructions

The examiner will give you clear, simple directions. Failing to follow them, whether due to nerves or not paying attention, will result in lost points.

• How to Avoid It: Listen carefully to each instruction. If you are unsure what the examiner said, it is perfectly acceptable to calmly ask, "Could you please repeat that?" It's better to clarify than to make a wrong move.

By being mindful of these common mistakes during your practice drives, you can build the safe habits necessary to ace your Arkansas road test and hit the road with your new license.