A critical error is a serious driving error that doesn’t result in immediate danger to any road user or property.

You will fail the restricted licence test if you make:

  • more than one critical error in Stage 1
  • more than two critical errors across the whole test.

Critical errors include:

Driving too fast

Driving over the speed limit by 5-10 km/h for less than five seconds.

Driving too slow

Driving much more slowly than necessary, including:

  • driving more than 10km/h below the speed limit and holding up traffic behind you (unless road or traffic conditions make it unsafe to travel closer to the speed limit)
  • taking longer than 5 seconds to move on, such as at a green light or when vehicles you were giving way to have gone
  • stopping when you don’t need to, such as when coming up to a pedestrian crossing and no one is there
  • not moving forward to wait in the intersection for a gap when turning right at green traffic lights.

Not looking before performing a manoeuvre

Not checking for other traffic when you should. This includes checking mirrors and doing head checks.

It also includes checking for trains in both directions at a railway crossing.

Not signalling

Not signalling for at least 3 seconds before you:

  • pull out from a park
  • stop next to a parked car to begin parallel parking
  • pull in to stop at the kerb
  • move left or right more than a car width
  • change lanes
  • turn at an intersection
  • negotiate a roundabout.

Blocking a pedestrian crossing

Stopping your car on a pedestrian crossing or area controlled by pedestrian traffic lights.

The only time this is okay is if you are the first car in a queue and you need to stop on a crossing to be able to see approaching traffic at an intersection. But make sure you give way to any pedestrians first.

Mounting the kerb

One wheel mounts the kerb when entering or leaving a parking space or performing a three-point turn. It’s okay if your tyres just touch the kerb gently.

Stalling

You stall a manual vehicle during the test.

Not coming to a complete stop at a stop sign

Slowing down at a stop sign, but not coming to a complete stop.

Any other illegal action

Doing anything else illegal which doesn't put anyone in immediate danger.

Examples:

  • following too close (your following distance is between 1 and 2 seconds)
  • not giving way to someone waiting to cross a pedestrian crossing
  • driving over part of a roundabout designed for heavy vehicles to drive over.