I did a quick whip around of the workplace and customers last week after I read an article in some God awful online media mouthpiece about road rules and the comment section got me triggered. It was like no one literally knew any of the road rules, even the "journalist" (and that description I will use very loosely here).
So, that got me thinking. I have a pretty big age gap of people to ask from a office girl who got her license only last year to some of the boomers that come in that got their licences back in the late 60's.
I asked everyone the same basic questions;
- When did you get your license (Got answers from 1965 to 2023)
- Have you ever lost/renewed/upgraded your licences and had to resit the road rules test? (almost all said "no")
- When was the last time you updated your knowledge on the road rules (almost everyone said "when I got my license")
- How well do you think you would go if you had to resit the test tomorrow (Dunning-Kruger test. Everyone said they would ace it.)
And after that, I picked 3 random questions that were a little obscure and not just gimmies out of the box, and about 5% of people got them right. Things like "when can you merge", "where does 'keep left unless overtaking' apply" or general parking rules about no stopping, no parking, how to indicate from parking…. Those kinds of questions.
So, that made me wonder, just how many people, especially people that got their license 10+ years ago, would actually pass the knowledge test if they were forced to sit it today? Now, Dunning-Kruger's tells me that all of you are going to answer "yes, super easy, smash it" when some of you definitely would not.
I have compiled a list of all the Driver Knowledge Practice Tests from each state. Pick your own, and then do one from another state that may frequently drive in. You can either let us know how you did (Don't bullshit you "aced it" if you didn't. You are only bullshitting to yourself.) If you did better than expected, let us know. If you did worse than expected, let us know. If you learned something new, chip in.
NSW Driver Knowledge Test
Qld Practice Test
Vic Practice Learner Permit Test
Tas Driver Knowledge Test
SA Practice Learner's Theory Test
NT Practice Theory Test (You just need a fake "name" and "group" to access test)
WA Road rules theory test quiz
ACT Road Rules Knowledge Test
Sit some tests and then come back and lie to everyone about how you did… :D
When I see a questionable act on the road ("changing over a white continuous line or driving over a painted island"), I often google and check for answers. I think the more you drive, the more questions you might get.