How Long Does It Usually Take to Practice for Subject 3 Driving Test?
4 Answers
According to the standard, Subject 3 requires at least 20 class hours of training, but most driving schools usually allocate only about 7 days. Specific reasons: Subject 3 is conducted on open roads and includes various test items such as pulling over to the side of the road, shifting up and down gears, driving in a straight line, changing lanes, turning left and right at intersections, and simulating light operations. Taking the test on open roads requires drivers to have sufficient adaptability because road conditions can change rapidly, demanding certain driving skills. Subject 3: Subject 3 includes the road driving skills test and the safety and civilized driving knowledge test, which are part of the motor vehicle driver's license assessment. It is the abbreviation for the road driving skills and safety and civilized driving knowledge test in the motor vehicle driver's license examination. The content of the road driving skills test varies for different types of vehicles eligible for driving.
I've been a driving instructor at a driving school for nearly ten years and have seen countless students. Honestly, there's no universal standard for how long it takes to practice. Some people have good car sense and boldness, and can prepare for the test after just five or six days of intensive practice; others with poor spatial awareness or who get nervous easily might need two or three weeks of intermittent practice. The key is mastering these five operations: coordinating the clutch and throttle during starts, shifting gears without looking down, driving straight without veering, checking blind spots when changing lanes, and parallel parking within 30 centimeters. It's best to practice for at least two hours each session and review which maneuvers you frequently mess up afterward. Nowadays, the test has strict details, especially regarding light usage and observation actions—these are the most common reasons for failing, so they need to be drilled into muscle memory. Before the test, I strongly recommend running through the entire route twice in the exam vehicle.
Last year when I was preparing for the Driving Test Part 3, I was still working full-time and could only practice driving after work and on weekends. I took a total of ten lessons, roughly fifteen hours. My advice is don't stretch the training over too long—concentrating on three to four sessions per week yields the best results. Before each practice session, I'd review instructional videos to memorize the test route, breaking it into segments for focused practice. For example, at the intersection near my home, I needed to change lanes in advance, and the industrial zone section required continuous gear shifting. The most effective technique was bringing a voice recorder to document the instructor's pointers about common mistakes, then reviewing them during my bus ride home. Never focus solely on driving without noting details—it's frustrating to lose points for basic errors like parking over the line or forgetting turn signals.
I passed the driving test (Subject 3) on my third attempt, with all painful lessons. The first time, I only practiced for five days and stalled twice at traffic lights. The second time, after two weeks of practice, I failed again on the straight-line driving. Later, the instructor bluntly said: The quality of practice matters more than the duration. Now I practice with specific questions in mind: Does holding the steering wheel too tightly cause the car to shake? Avoid stalling by not pressing the brake pedal all the way down. It's recommended to record your own operations each time and check them item by item against a scoring sheet at night. The key is to practice the roadside parking separately, using water stains on the ground as reference points. Continuous practice is better than sporadic sessions, and you must practice for at least three hours in the two days before the test.
