Checking my mirrors, fail.
Indicating on a U-turn, fail.
Checking my blindspot, fail.
These somewhat 'common mistakes' let me down when I went to resit my licence.
My colleagues, friends and family are constantly ribbing my about my terrible parking and driving - so I thought it was about time I test out my driving skills, seven years on from getting my full licence.
And within the first two minutes I had failed.
You can make two critical errors in a restricted licence test and one when sitting your full licence.
The failures:
1. Not checking mirrors enough - you are meant to check each mirror every seven seconds
2. Didn't properly check for trains before going over a train track
3. Didn't indicate right on a U-turn on a cul-de-sac
4. Failed to check my blind spot when changing lanes
The New Zealand Transport Agency satistics show that in June, 68.1 percent of people who sat their Class 1 full licence passed - 31.9 percent of people failed.
In the same month 57.9 percent of people who sat their Class 1 restricted licence passed and 42.1 percent of people failed.
AA Driving Instructor Mon Smedley was my co-pilot and I only hope I didn't make her want to stop and jump out of the car on our journey.
"I wouldn't say you're a terrible driver, I would say it's remembering to do all of those checks that you need to be doing to make sure your safe," she told me.
Just like any test the pressure can get the best of many people, and it's the same when sitting your licence.
"People are really really good and just that pressure of being in that test situation, it's just like that test situation and they would get things they would normally have no problem with," Ms Smedley says.
"It's just like a test at school they just fall apart and can't handle the stress."
The one thing I did nail? The parallel park.
So, overall I get to keep my keys, but there's definitely some homework to be done to curb my bad habits and stay safe on the road.
Watch the video above for the full test.
Newshub.
