If you're preparing for your G2 road test and live in Ajax, it is tempting to search for a route to memorise. A better goal is to become comfortable making safe decisions on unfamiliar streets. That confidence helps whether your appointment is close to home or elsewhere in Durham Region.
This guide is for the first car road test, which takes a G1 driver to a G2 licence. It is different from the later G road test. DriveTest describes the G2 test as a basic-skills or "city" test that usually takes about 20 minutes; the G test assesses more advanced skills and includes a highway component.
Practise skills, not a promised test route
DriveTest recommends practising in different locations, conditions and times of day, within your licence restrictions. For an Ajax learner, that means building experience beyond one familiar trip around the block.
With your qualified accompanying driver or driving instructor, plan practice that includes quiet residential streets, busier intersections and places where you can safely work on parking. Use the current road signs and conditions to guide you. A practice street is not a prediction of where an examiner will take you.
Try a short session with one clear purpose: smoother stops, better observation before turns, or judging space around parked vehicles. Finish by discussing what improved and what needs another attempt. Repeating a useful skill beats repeating a route without noticing your habits.
Make observation part of every manoeuvre
Looking around should help you make a decision, rather than become a performance for the examiner. Before changing your position on the road, know what is ahead, behind and beside you. Use your mirrors and the appropriate blind-spot checks, and keep watching for pedestrians and cyclists.
At intersections, practise reading the whole scene: signals, signs, lane markings and people who may cross your path. Approach at a speed that gives you time to respond. If you feel rushed, slow your thinking down before the situation develops, not after you are already committed.
Ask your practice partner to point out patterns after a drive. Do you miss a check when concentrating on steering? Do you notice pedestrians late? One specific observation is more useful than being told to "be more confident."
Give parking and low-speed control their own practice time
DriveTest's preparation guidance includes parking, reversing and three-point turns. Work on these deliberately instead of leaving them for the final lesson.
- Choose a safe, legal place with room to practise.
- Move slowly enough to stay in control and stop if the space changes.
- Check around the vehicle throughout the manoeuvre, not only before starting.
- Practise recognising when you need to pause and reassess.
For parallel parking, understand what the vehicle is doing rather than relying only on fixed reference points. Different cars and spaces can change what you see. Your practice goal is safe control and awareness, not a rushed, one-motion finish.
Use a simple final-week plan
Early in the week, practise the skills that still need help. Later, try a short mock drive where your accompanying driver gives directions without coaching every step. Review the drive afterward and choose one or two priorities for the next session.
Keep your final practice manageable. A long, tiring drive can leave you feeling worse even when you have made progress. Before test day, become familiar with the vehicle's controls, including the lights, wipers and defogger. You should not be hunting for a switch while trying to follow a direction.
Check the car before checking in
DriveTest does not supply a vehicle. You need to bring an appropriate vehicle in good working order, whether it is owned, borrowed or rented.
Check the official vehicle requirements well before your appointment. Working brakes, seat belts, brake lights, turn signals, mirrors and suitable tires matter. Wipers, washer fluid and the defogger must work when conditions require them. A vehicle problem can result in an "out-of-order" test and the loss of 50% of the test fee.
DriveTest also has rules for in-vehicle recording devices. Read those rules and arrange any required disabling beforehand rather than discovering a problem at check-in.
Keep test day straightforward
DriveTest asks you to arrive at least 30 minutes early. Bring your current driver's licence, a printout of the confirmation email and any glasses or contact lenses you need for driving. Make sure there is enough fuel for the test. Check your booking confirmation for the correct location and instructions.
The examiner explains the test before it begins but cannot coach you through it. Ask questions before starting. During the drive, focus on the situation in front of you rather than trying to guess your score. A safe next decision is worth more than replaying the last turn in your head.
Want help turning this checklist into a practice plan? Book a lesson with DriveWise Academy and tell us which G2 skills you want to work on.
Official sources
Official guidance checked October 12, 2026. Always follow your current licence conditions and booking instructions.