The key to passing your driving test is as follows: (This is from my own experience, it may differ depending on how confident you are in your driving skills).
Be completely calm and cool. When you get into the car (use your own car if you have one/are allowed to) relax and think about something completely un-related to driving. When the instructor asks you to turn on the signals, and honk the horn and such to make sure everything works, do it casually. When actually driving during the test, don't concentrate on your driving any more than you usually would. When you do that, you make mistakes. Also, don't concentrate any less than you usually do, as you'll probably make mistakes. Don't speak, only give a few word reply when he gives you directions. "Two lights up, make a left turn". Reply simply by saying, "okay", or "k". Be aware of what's around you. Check your rear-view mirror constantly. Also check your side mirrors constantly. When making a right hand turn, check your right mirror and do a shoulder check over your right shoulder before turning. This lets the instructor know you're aware that there may be a byciclyst or "someone in a wheelchair" as my instructor put it, on the side of the road.
Don't, under and circumstances, speed. If the limit is 50 km/h, do no more than 51 km/h. If someone is riding your bumper, either move over if there's room, or just continue driving. You're just following the speed limit. Don't brake check anyone if they're close to you, don't slow down if they're on your bumper either. Before moving off when your light turns green, check both ways. As you're passing through the interestion, check both ways again while accelerating. Same goes for a stop sign.
If you come up to a 4 way stop at the same time as someone else, REMEMBER, if they're on the right, they have the right of way. My instructor said that is where lots of people fail the test. Don't follow to close behind other cars. Some people say 2 seconds is the distance between you and the car in front, but I made sure I was 3 seconds behind someone when they were in front of me.
I passed my driving test the first time, and only made on minor mistake (signaled to late for a turn, should have signalled 3 or 4 meters sooner). The instructor wants to see if you're aware of everything around you when you're driving. When you get into the car before starting the test, wait until the instructor gets in next to you, and then adjust your mirrors. Even if they dont need to be adjusted, just move them a fraction of an inch to show that you're going to be using the mirrors.
My instructor told me after I took the test, that the main thing he watches is people's eyes. He said someone who doesn't look around when they're driving wont pass the test. As long as you're constantly surveying the situation all around you, you'll almost always have a way to avoid a collision.
Smooth throttle and brake work, as well as smooth steering work go along way when impressing an instructor too. If you cant drive a car in a straight line, they wont say anything, but they'll be calling you names in their head, thinking about how much they hate their job. And start braking at the right times. If you brake to soon, and then glide forever till you come to a stop, they'll fail you. If you consitently brake to late, they'll probably fail you.
For me, the biggest thing that helped me pass the test with flying colours was being calm, relaxed, and being OVERLY confident in your driving skills. Even if you're not confident in your driving, act as though you are. Don't drive with one hand though, keep your hands at either 9 and 3 or 10 and 2. As long as you think to yourself before the test starts that you're a badass driver capable of outrunning the police while driving a fully loaded 18 wheeler, while drunk and on drugs, because you're just that badass, you'll pass.
Hope that helps... Hope you even read it
