Study these topics carefully
Just last year, the Land Transportation Office (LTO) announced they would finally be issuing driver’s licenses with a validity of 10 years. This is paired with new improvements that move some parts of the license application process online.
As such, this allows applicants to do aspects such as taking the Comprehensive Driving Examination (CDE), as well as checking for eligibility for the 10-year license online, through the LTO’s new online portal (portal.lto.gov.ph). Best of all, these can be done several days before you actually apply. This leaves just the medical checkup, application, payment, and biometrics for when you apply in person. It also helps trim down the whole process from what used to be over an hour to as little at 15 minutes.
For those of you looking to renew your driver’s license this year, this is a guide on how to do so, as well as a primer for the online Comprehensive Driving Examination.
First off, it’s necessary to create an account at the LTO online portal (portal.lto.gov.ph). Once done, verify that you are eligible (determined by the demerits section in your LTMS portal account). Then take the Comprehensive Driving Examination. You’ll find it under the E-Learning tab. Select the license type (non-pro, conductor’s, professional) and then select the vehicle you will be using the license for (motorcycle, light vehicle, etc.). Finally, select the language you’d prefer to have the test in.
To help you prepare for the test, we’ll enumerate the topics you must be familiar with in order to pass the exam. There are about 60 questions, covering a variety of road rules, road safety, protocols, and several topics any aspiring driver should be familiar with.
Licenses
Naturally, this test will include questions about the license itself. This covers topics like the student permit, non-professional license, and professional license. It’s necessary to learn the differences between them, how long they are valid for, which vehicles each one allows the holder to drive, and under which circumstances each license holder is allowed to drive.
Take note of what age an applicant can get a student’s permit, how long before they can apply for a non-pro or pro license, as well as when and under what conditions student permit holders are allowed to drive.
For non-pro and pro license holders, learn what kinds of vehicles (and their respective codes) a non-pro license holder is allowed to drive. Find out how long after failing the test before one can apply again. And of course, you’ll be quizzed on circumstances such as whether you can drive if you left your license.
It’s also important to be familiar with conditions for the handicapped. They are given special conditions and allowed to drive certain kinds of vehicles.
Safe driving practices
Some of the questions will also cover safe practices when driving on the road. Questions will cover situations like driving around student drivers, driving around stopped vehicles, how to drive around school zones or populated areas, as well as turn signals, flashing headlights, and hand signals when driving (granted these are antiquated but still mandatory to learn). There are a lot of questions on when it is safe to overtake. This covers several situations like slow vehicles, when approaching a bridge or roundabout, or even when there are double yellow lines. This also covers what to do when you are feeling sleepy, have taken medication, or are drunk. You’ll also be quizzed on such things as which direction to turn the front wheels when parked on an incline. There are also a few questions concerning long loads, such as how long beyond a vehicle’s length is allowed, and what kind of warning must be attached to it.
Road rules
Perhaps the most critical to know is road rules. Any applicant must be familiar with these as they cover road markings, stoplights, traffic signs and what they mean. As such, you must know what double yellow lines, solid white lines, and dashed white lines mean. You should also be familiar with the few exceptions for overtaking on solid or double yellow lines.
One must be familiar with stoplights. We’re not just talking about what red, yellow, and green mean. The quiz will also cover situations like flashing red or yellow lights and what the driver should do.
Drivers should also know what to do on highways. These are special high-speed roads, after all. Learn the parts of the highways such as the slow lane, fast lane, shoulder, and lay-bys. Where must you be, when is it safe to use the overtaking lane, when to turn off your indicators after passing, and even which vehicles you should give way to.
Finally, it’s important to know road signs, after all, these are uniform throughout the world. Familiarize yourself with traffic signs, what the symbols mean, and what you should do when you spot one. Also critical knowledge is the shape of the sign itself. Square or rectangular signs denote information. Round signs are for regulations or rules. Triangles suggest caution and road conditions to be wary of.
Right of way
This is a topic many current drivers still get wrong. Knowing right of way can avoid many potential arguments on the road and it’s only right that it’s part of the test. Applicants should know which vehicles have right of way in several circumstances, whether at intersections (depending on arrival), merging roads, regular roads, and even vehicle hierarchy.
Vehicle maintenance
Yes, this is part of the test too. This covers typically basic vehicle maintenance tips. It’s important to know how to check your oil level (and the best conditions to do so), what vehicle symptoms are indicative of serious vehicle problems (symptoms of potential shock absorber, brake, or steering failure), as well as maintaining things like headlights, wipers, the radiator and brakes. There are even questions that ask how to operate a vehicle with ABS brakes versus one without it. Bear in mind that even if you are applying to drive a four-wheeled vehicle, you may be asked a few motorcycle maintenance questions.
Newer laws
The test may also ask questions regarding some of the newer laws that have been enacted. Naturally, the test covers several aspects of the original Land Transportation and Traffic Code (R.A. 4136). Yet it also includes newer laws like the Anti-Distracted Driving Act (R.A. 10913), Anti-Drunk Driving Law (R.A. 10586), as well as the Child Safety Act (R.A. 8750).
As such, familiarize yourself with them and also try to understand what they allow and prohibit. For instance, there will be questions asked regarding when you can use your phone while in the vehicle. There are also questions like how tall a child must be to no longer need a child seat.
Granted, this is a daunting number of topics. Yet bear in mind that these are essential knowledge before the LTO grants you the privilege to drive.
Thankfully, there are many online resources you can check to get all this vital info. Simply click on the links and you’ll be directed to sites or pages that explain them in more detail. You can also find primers or reviewers on Youtube with some sample questions to test your knowledge.
It’s also helpful to check out LTO’s own primer for the Comprehensive Driver’s Exam. You can bet that many of the topics brought up there will be included in the test.
We hope this article is helpful and wish you luck on the test.