Why You Should Never Book a VicRoads Test Before Locking In Your Instructor (Geelong Edition)

Every week I get calls from parents saying something like:

“We have booked the test for next week and we are hoping to squeeze in a couple of lessons and maybe use your car on the day…”

And I always feel bad having to explain the reality. Most good instructors in Geelong are booked out weeks in advance.

It is not anyone’s fault. Most families simply do not realise how early they need to plan.

Here is a simple guide to make the whole process smoother, cheaper and far less stressful for everyone involved.

1. Driving instructors book out fast, weeks not days

VicRoads test slots at South Geelong often fill 4 to 6 weeks ahead, especially during:

• late November to January when school leavers turn 18

• end of term periods

• school holidays

• the steady weekly “18th birthday rush”

When VicRoads fills, instructors fill just as quickly.

So when a test gets booked only a week ahead, parents often find:

• no instructor availability

• no car available for test day

• they need to pay a VicRoads reschedule fee

• their learner ends up trying to cram last minute lessons

All of this is 100 percent preventable with proper planning.

2. The best test timeslots disappear first

Most parents assume any test time is fine, but at South Geelong there are “good” spots and “stressful” spots.

The best times, these go first:

• 9:30am

• 10:45am

• 1:15pm

These times avoid school traffic, lunchtime crossings and unpredictable congestion.

The last times left, usually not ideal:

• 8:00am heavy school traffic

• 3:00pm to 4:15pm school pickups, buses and crossings

• 4:15pm in winter lower light and more stressful

By the time most families book a test without checking an instructor first, the best slots are long gone.

3. Check your instructor’s availability BEFORE selecting a test time

This saves more stress than anything else.

I offer a 90 minute warm up session before every test booking and it is one of the most important parts of the day.

This warm up lets us:

• settle nerves

• check blind spots, observations and gap selection

• tidy up habits

• fine tune their driving skills and settle any last minute nerves before arriving at VicRoads

• make sure they walk in feeling calm, not rushed

Because it is so important, families should:

✔ Check my live availability on my website first

If you cannot find a warm up slot that lines up with the test time, then that test time is not the right one.

✔ Book the warm up at least 90 minutes before the test

This gives us enough time to fix anything last minute and arrive at VicRoads relaxed and ready.

Locking in a warm up first means you can confidently book the correct test time next.

4. Make sure you have a suitable car arranged before you book the test

In Victoria you can use your own car, but it must meet VicRoads standards:

• speedo clearly visible

• roadworthy

• manual pull up handbrake

• legal tyres

• no warning lights

• no major damage

If your instructor’s car is booked out and your own car does not meet the rules, you may need to reschedule.

That means extra delays and extra money.

5. Do not forget the Hazard Perception Test (HPT)

This catches families out more often than you would think.

You can do the HPT from 17 years and 11 months.

It is online and simple when the website works.

Do it early. Very early.

Do not leave it until the night before the drive test.

Government sites sometimes have:

• slow loading

• payment issues

• login failures

• timeouts

If anything goes wrong, you cannot sit your drive test.

You must pass the HPT before attending VicRoads.
Doing it early removes all that stress.

6. If the test is around their 18th birthday, plan ahead

The “18th birthday rush” is real and constant.

Teens want their licence on or close to their birthday, especially:

• late November to January

• end of each school term

• school leaver periods

South Geelong gets extremely busy during these times.

Two things to remember:

1. Not everyone passes first go
Totally normal, but failing on their birthday can ruin the day.

2. The next morning often is not the best choice
Most teens celebrate their birthday the night before, and that can leave them tired or not in the right headspace for a test.
It is much better to choose a different day.

A bit of planning makes it much smoother.

7. The golden rule to avoid stress

Book your lessons first, then book the test.

Once you know:

• your instructor has availability

• your warm up session fits the test time

• your car situation is sorted

• the HPT is completed

• your learner has had enough practice

Then lock in your VicRoads test.

This avoids:

• reschedule fees

• rushed cramming

• stressful time slots

• unnecessary nerves

• last minute panic

A calm and prepared learner always performs better than someone scrambling the week of the test.

Final Thoughts

Driving instructors want your kids to pass, but more importantly we want them to be safe, calm and confident once they are out there alone.

A few weeks of consistent preparation always beats a last minute scramble.

If you are planning a test soon, feel free to reach out early, check availability and set up a realistic timeline.
It makes everything smoother and gives your learner the best chance of passing first time.