During the on-road driving test, the examiner will be score you on specific driving maneuvers as well as on your general driving behavior. You must drive in a safe and responsible manner; obey all traffic signs, signals, and laws; and not cause an accident or commit a moving violation.

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.

School bus drivers may only pick up students at official stops designated by authorized school officials.

Backing in a school bus is strongly discouraged and should be done only if there is no other safe way to move the vehicle. If you must drive in reverse at a student pick-up point, you should wait until all students have first loaded the bus.

If time permits, before deciding to evacuate a school bus, the driver should contact their dispatcher to explain the situation. The decision to evacuate must be a timely one.

Do not shift gears while crossing railroad tracks. Your vehicle could stall and get stuck in the crossing.

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

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

When picking up passengers, a school bus driver should park with the vehicle's front bumper at least 10 feet away from the students. This is the safest parking option because it forces the students to walk to the bus, making it possible for the driver to watch their movements.

When approaching a bus stop, a school bus driver should count the number of students waiting and ensure that they all board the bus. The driver should check their mirrors for any students who may be running to the stop. Students should board slowly in a single-file line.

When checking your vehicle's pedals during a pre-trip inspection, you should ensure that there is nothing under or around the pedals that will obstruct their use. Make sure the pedals are in proper working condition and that the surfaces of the pedals are grooved, if applicable.

As you exit your vehicle during the basic vehicle control skills test, you must face the vehicle and maintain three points of contact at all times. If your testing vehicle is a bus, you must maintain contact with the handrail. Exiting the vehicle incorrectly may result in automatic failure of the basic control skills test.

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.

During the pre-trip vehicle inspection test, you will be asked to indicate where the power steering fluid dipstick or reservoir sight glass is located. You will need to show that the power steering fluid is within a safe operating range.

Students should board a school bus slowly and in a single-file line. For safety, boarding students should use the handrail.

If a school bus becomes stalled or trapped on railroad tracks, the driver should immediately evacuate everyone from the bus. If the bus is struck by a train, to avoid any flying debris, the students should be led far away from the bus at an angle that is in the direction of any oncoming train.

Anti-Lock Braking Systems (ABS) help prevent brake lockup when driving on slippery surfaces. If a driver brakes too hard on a slippery surface, ABS makes it easier for the driver to maintain control of their vehicle. A vehicle equipped with ABS should be driven and braked in the same way as a vehicle without ABS.

You should finish each exercise with your vehicle in the exact position described by the examiner. You can be penalized for failing to complete an exercise exactly in the manner described by the examiner, potentially resulting in failure of the basic control skills test.

If your on-road driving test route does not include a railroad crossing, you may be asked to explain and demonstrate the proper railroad crossing procedures to the examiner at a simulated location.

A driver is allowed to exit their vehicle to check its position during any basic vehicle 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.