What are the penalty rules for the hill start?
3 Answers
The penalty criteria for the hill start are as follows: After the vehicle stops, if the front bumper of the car or the front axle of the motorcycle is not aligned with the pole line and exceeds 50 cm forward or backward, it is considered a failure. If the front bumper or front axle is not aligned with the pole line but does not exceed 50 cm forward or backward, a penalty of 10 points is applied (previously 20 points). If the vehicle stops and the body is more than 30 cm away from the road edge line but does not exceed 50 cm, a penalty of 10 points is applied (previously 20 points). If the body is more than 50 cm away from the road edge line, a penalty of 100 points is applied. If the vehicle rolls back 10-30 cm after starting, a penalty of 10 points is applied. If the vehicle rolls back more than 30 cm, it is considered a failure. If the engine stalls once due to improper operation, a penalty of 10 points is applied. If the vehicle is not started within 30 seconds after stopping, it is considered a failure due to timeout. If the parking brake is not tightened after stopping, a penalty of 10 points is applied. If the vehicle rides or presses on the solid road edge line during movement, it is considered a failure.
I was so nervous during the semi-slope start in my driving test (Subject 2). The scoring deductions mainly revolve around the stopping and starting phases. For stopping, the front bumper must be parked within the yellow marked zone—falling short or exceeding the line by even a few centimeters can result in a 10-point deduction or an outright fail (100 points). During the start, if the vehicle rolls back less than 30 cm, it's a 10-point deduction; rolling back more than 30 cm means an immediate fail. Stalling the engine once during the process also costs 10 points. I lost points because I was nervous and released the clutch too quickly, causing the engine to stall. My advice is to practice slope stops and starts more often to master the balance between the clutch and throttle. This skill isn't just useful for the test—it also makes driving up slopes, entering/exiting underground garages, or navigating mountain roads much safer in daily driving.
Our examiners are quite strict when scoring on the slope. Parking position is crucial—a deviation exceeding 5 cm results in a 10-point deduction, while a major deviation leads to an immediate failure (100 points). Rolling back after starting is graded by distance: less than 30 cm incurs a 10-point penalty, while exceeding 30 cm means an automatic fail (100 points). Stalling the engine once deducts 10 points, and repeated stalling may lead to failing the test. These rules simulate real driving risks, such as rear-end collisions caused by rolling back. Candidates often rush to start, leading to mistakes. It's best to engage the handbrake first, practice steady clutch control, and then release the handbrake to start. Practice volume determines success rate.
