Will driving at 10 km/h in second gear during Subject 3 test result in failure?
3 Answers
Driving at 10 km/h in second gear during Subject 3 test is considered incorrect behavior and will result in point deduction. Below 0 km/h should use first gear, while above 15 km/h should use second gear. Here's detailed information about vehicle gears: Speed range: First gear corresponds to 0-5 km/h. Second gear corresponds to 5-20 km/h, third gear corresponds to 20-40 km/h, fourth gear corresponds to 40-60 km/h, and fifth gear corresponds to 60-100 km/h. Gear shifting timing: For most vehicles, the optimal shifting point is when engine speed reaches 2000 r/min, which should not exceed 2500 r/min. For some high-displacement, high-power engines, shifting can occur around 3000 r/min.
Let me explain this in detail. When I worked as a driving instructor at the driving school, I often encountered students making this mistake. Driving at 10 km/h in second gear is absolutely unacceptable! The requirements for Subject 3 clearly state that the gear must match the speed, and the appropriate speed range for second gear is between 15 and 25 km/h. 10 km/h is way too low, and the system can easily fail you for gear-speed mismatch. I remember one student failed exactly because of this, and the examiner said the engine was even starting to shake. Actually, the test requirements are very clear—if the tachometer drops below 1000 RPM, it's already risky, let alone at 10 km/h. I suggest you pay more attention to the speedometer during practice. Maintaining around 20 km/h in second gear is the safest bet, and slightly pressing the accelerator won’t cause you to overspeed.
Last time when I took my daughter out for driving practice, she made this mistake, and now thinking back, it still makes me sweat for her. In the Category 3 driving test, driving in second gear below 15 km/h is considered a gear-speed mismatch, which is a point deduction, but dropping to around 10 km/h will basically result in a fail. The main reason is that at such low speeds, the engine tends to shake and may even stall. Those who have taken the test know that what the safety officer values most is the smoothness of the vehicle. My advice is to develop the habit during practice: after starting in second gear, immediately accelerate to around 20 km/h. Don’t worry about the speed being too slow—second gear isn’t meant for high speeds anyway. I’ve heard that the new test cars are even more sensitive now, triggering an alarm if the RPM drops below 1,200, so be extra careful.
