Students should not occupy the back row of a school bus unless the bus is full. The closer to the front of a bus that students are seated, the safer they will be in the event of a rear-end collision. Students with special needs should sit near the driver.

When approaching a curve during the on-road driving skills test, you must reduce your speed sufficiently before entering the curve so that you do not need to further brake or shift in the curve. Keep the vehicle in its lane and continue to check for traffic in all directions.

During the basic vehicle control skills test, there is no penalty for an initial pull-up; however, an excessive number of pull-ups will count as errors.

You may be asked to complete a parallel parking maneuver into a parking space that is to the left of your vehicle. You should drive past the parking space before backing into it while bringing the rear of your vehicle as close to the rear of the space as possible. Your vehicle should be completely within the boundaries of the space.

Maneuvers that may be included in the basic vehicle control skills test include straight line backing, offset back/right parking, offset back/left parking, driver side parallel parking, conventional parallel parking, and alley docking.

Proper mirror adjustment is vital to the safe operation of a school bus. A bus's flat mirrors should be adjusted so the driver is able to see 200 feet, or four bus lengths, behind the bus.

A driver is allowed to exit their vehicle to check its position during any basic control skills test exercise. This action is called a "look." During the straight line backing exercise, a driver may not exceed one look. During any other exercise, a driver may not exceed two looks.

A driver uses a look when they open their door, leave their seated position, and walk to the back of the vehicle to check its position. During the straight line backing exercise, a driver may not exceed one look. During any other exercise, a driver may not exceed two looks.

Railroad crossings that do not display any traffic control devices are known as passive crossings. The decision to proceed across tracks at a passive crossing is entirely up to the driver.

There are blind spots immediately below and in front of each outside flat mirror. These mirrors have another blind spot directly behind the rear bumper.

If a school bus needs to be evacuated in the event of an emergency, the driver must quickly determine which exit or exits will be safest for students to use and direct the students to that exit.

On a school bus, the overhead inside rearview mirror is mounted directly above the windshield on the driver’s side of the bus. This mirror should be used to monitor students inside the bus.

More students are killed each year during loading or unloading of school buses than while riding on school buses. Therefore, it is critical that school bus drivers follow appropriate safety procedures during loading and unloading. The process must be properly supervised and done with care.

The adjustment of mirrors should be checked prior to the start of any trip.

During the vehicle inspection test, you must check the power steering belt, water pump belt, alternator belt, and air compressor belt for snugness, cracks, or frays. If any of these components are not belt-driven, you must tell the examiner which one(s), and verify that they are operating properly, mounted securely, and not damaged or leaking.

During the basic vehicle control skills test, a pull-up will be scored any time an applicant stops and pulls forward to gain a better position. Stopping without changing direction will not. An excessive number of pull-ups will count as errors.

In most emergency or crisis situations, students on a school bus will be safer and more easily controlled if they are kept on the bus than if they are evacuated. However, if staying on a bus will expose the students to risk or injury, the bus driver should escort them to a safe location.

All mirrors on a school bus should be checked and adjusted before beginning a trip. Proper mirror adjustment is vital to the safety of all students and surrounding vehicles.

A school bus should stop at least 10 feet away from students who are being picked up at a bus stop. This forces the students to walk toward the bus, allowing the driver to observe their movements and better monitor their locations.

During the on-road driving test, you must drive in a safe and responsible manner; wear your safety belt; obey all traffic signs, signals, and laws; and complete the test without any accidents or moving violations.