History Main / DrivingTest

* In the inevitable boys-vs-girls driving test episode on ''Series/TheBradyBunch'', Greg and Marcia tie their scores on the combined written and road tests. They have a final drive bet to see who is the better driver. Marcia navigates the course and comes to within an inch and a quarter to a final cone holding a raw egg (as the final test). Greg also makes it through the course but over thinks the ending and guns the car engine at the last minute, breaking the egg. Peter later wants to challenge Jan to a similar contest, but backs out when he see Greg doing Marcia's chores.

When a character needs to pass a road test to earn a driving license. Usually they are a teenager who is obtaining a driver's license for the first time in their life [[ComingOfAgeStory as part of the process of advancing to adulthood]]. In most North American societies (particularly rural and suburban regions with less public transportation) it is a cultural norm to obtain a driver's license in the early years of adolescence, and the adult who doesn't hold one will be portrayed as a ManChild. More rarely, they might need to renew an existing license.

* In season 2 of ''Anime/{{Aggretsuko}}'' Retsuko takes a driving class, as an adult, she's actually good at it but there she meets Tadano, who doesn't really care that much.
* The subplot to episode 7 of ''Literature/ThePetGirlOfSakurasou'' focuses on Misaki taking her test, inevitably scaring her driving instructor (whom she keeps calling Nancy) each time.
* Early in the ''Anime/TenchiMuyo'' manga, Mihoshi ends up having to get a driver's license to help out the others get things. She performs extremely poorly, however when she witnesses a kidnapping, her Galaxy Police instincts kick into high gear, chasing down the kidnappers and saving the child. Mihoshi actually ''fails'' the test, but the kid's father is so grateful, he uses his connections to let Mihoshi get her license.

[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]

* ''Film/HappyGoLucky'' features plenty of driving ''lessons'', but they never get to the test part for... plot-related reasons.
* The second ''{{Film/Taken}}'' movie starts off with Kim failing her second driving test. It takes nothing short of [[DrivesLikeCrazy driving like mad through the streets of Istanbul]] to have her finally pass it at the end.

* Subverted in the ''Series/MarriedWithChildren'' episode "Driving Mr. Boondy". Al has to take a driving test and discovers that his son, Bud, will be administering the test. Al passes by threatening Bud. Same episode, airhead daughter Kelly has no problem passing her test.
* ''Series/MamasFamily'': Mama has to get her driver's license in the season 2 episode "Mama Learns to Drive", since the other family members aren't always there to give her a ride (and as stated in a scene cut from the syndicated reruns, there's a bus driver's strike, so she can't take the bus either at that point). While there's some chaos, she succeeds.
* The ''Series/DrakeAndJosh'' episode "Driver's License" features this. Josh's instructor is a old grouchy woman who he manages to tick off at every point while Drake's instructor is a young bubbly woman who lets him detour the test to a fast food restaurant. Despite this, Josh is the one who ends up passing while Drake fails.
* Spoofed in ''Series/MalcolmInTheMiddle'' when Reese, annoyed that his driving instructor did not give him any time to take his driving test, usurps the driving seat from the other girl so he could at least drive back to the DMV. Suddenly, a lady accidentally bumps into the car. Reese, panicking (thinking he messed up), drives off and eventually gets involved in a low speed chase with several police cars. You ''have to'' watch the whole episode just to know how hilarious it is. The chase ends when Reese returns to the driving school and completes the course PERFECTLY. He even [[ParallelParking parallel parks]] in his time behind the wheel, prompting a cop watching the chase at Malcolm's home to remark "That's impressive!"
* Played painfully straight in ''Series/HannahMontana'' where Miley messes up her test and uses her secret identity to retake it. Naturally she gets caught, spends a night in the slammer and gets humiliated by Robbie Ray to drive the point home.
* Part of the pilot episode plot of ''Series/ShitMyDadSays''.

* The ''Series/{{Everybody Loves Raymond}}'' episode "Driving With Frank" has Frank renew his driver's liscence.
* Partially inverted in the episode "Wheelers and Dealers" of ''Series/{{Mash}}''. Potter is send to traffic school, conducted by Rizzo. Rizzo wants to pass Potter without Potter having to do anything, but Potter wants to play it by the book. After initially failing, he just passes the written test, but still needs to do a driving test. Again, Rizzo wants to pass Potter, but Potter insists doing the test. He gets an accident, but Rizzo passes Potter, because of how well he steered around the danger. Potter initially doesn't accept that, but reveals he's open to the rationalization. However, after all that trouble, at the end of the episode Potter is departing to attend a meeting riding his horse, Sophie, instead.
* In an episode of ''Series/Adam12'', Pete Malloy is forced to let his partner Jim Reed to drive the patrol car when he finds out his licence is expired.
* Sue's efforts to pass her road test and get her license are an ongoing arc in the fourth season of ''Series/TheMiddle''. Late in the season, in "Hallelujah Hoedown", we learn she's failed it six times and must wait a month before trying again.

* On ''Series/TheFactsOfLife'', there was an episode where Tootie was taking her road test. The hilarity comes from the fact that she's taking the test in a hearse (long story).

* In the ''Series/TouchedByAnAngel'' episode "Deconstructing Harry", Tess has to go to the DMV to take her driving test, even though she's an angel ("Render unto Caesar", etc). She gets a very aggressive driving instructor who keeps making up mistakes and telling Tess to do illegal or physically impossible maneuvers. The test ends with [[spoiler: the instructor stealing an urn from a funeral-in-progress and forcing Tess to be her getaway driver... for a 14-hour journey!]].
* What is ''Series/CanadasWorstDriver'' if not an entire season of this trope? It's essentially a driving boot camp where Canada's worst drivers gain some practice and break their bad habits. The spirit of this trope is played arrow-straight in each season's final challenge, where remaining students have to take host Andrew out onto public roads for a driving test. Not surprisingly, since this places each driver in real-world conditions, it's what largely decides who is named Canada's Worst Driver.
* In the ''Series/{{Jessie}}'' episode "Driving Miss Crazy", Jessie takes Emma to take her driving test and is also forced to take the test herself since her liscence since her Texas liscence doesn't apply in New York.

* ''Series/KamenRiderDrive'' had an episode that revealed that Chase, the [[SixthRanger Third Rider]] and a [[HeelFaceTurn reformed]] [[MonsterOfTheWeek Roidmude]], didn't have a license for his CoolBike; since he's affiliated with the Tokyo Police Department, that just won't do so he takes the test. Naturally a Roidmude attacks in the middle of it and Chase steps away from the learner car to fight it, though he does apologize to the instructor beforehand (and transforms right in front of the poor confused guy). He does eventually go back and pass the test, though. [[spoiler:And when he dies in the final battle, his damaged license becomes a TragicKeepsake for Gou (Kamen Rider Mach).]]

* Just getting trained ''for'' her driving test proves challenging to Nicky from ''Series/BlueBloods'', as nearly every adult in the Reagan family is a terrible driver. Her mother Erin honks and screams at other vehicles, her uncle Danny treats everything like a CarChase, great-grandfather Henry's vision and reflexes have declined too much for safety, and grandpa Frank, as police commissioner, hasn't driven himself in years. Only her uncle Jamie proves calm and competent enough to give Nicky lessons.
* "Driving Miss DJ" from ''Series/FullHouse'' has DJ wanting to practice for her road test. Danny is insanely over-protective, super critical and paranoid while teaching her to the point of hindrance, even demanding she secure the garbage tote before starting the car. He stops the test when he yells at her for not noticing the tree they were very slowly approaching, a tree that was on the complete opposite end of the parking lot where they were. DJ then asks Jesse to teach her which he accepts immediately, but he's in the opposite direction and gives her too little of advice and guidance. She takes a turn too sharply and scrapes the side of his car against the concrete of a pole. Afterwards both try to convince her to give up, which DJ calls them out on, particularly Danny, and they admit that they are simply worried about her. They both relent, accept that she has to learn to live her own life and decide to teach her together to balance each other out. FridgeBrilliance kicks in concerning Danny's severe reluctance to have DJ drive when it's revealed in a later episode that [[spoiler:his wife and the girls' mother Pam was killed by a drunk driver (her death kicked off the premise of the show, but they never confirmed how she died until several seasons later.)]]
* ''Series/TwoPointFourChildren'': Part of the plot for "[[Recap/TwoPointFourChildrenS1E5DirtyBowling Dirty Bowling]]" revolves around Bill's belated attempts to pass her driving test. However, an unavoidable trip to the dentist has made her difficult to understand, a problem since some of the test involves her having to say out loud some of the road signs. Despite this, however, she is successful thanks to the assistance of her mysterious motorbike friend Angelo.

* One of the ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyEquestriaGirls'' [[WebAnimation/MyLittlePonyEquestriaGirlsDigitalSeries digital shorts]] has Sunset Shimmer trying to earn her driver's license in "Driving Miss Shimmer". She's already failed her driving test once, and is told that her next try is her last one. Sunset learns about cars from either Applejack, Rarity, or Fluttershy, depending on which ending the viewer chooses, in an attempt to pass on the retest. Fluttershy annoys Sunset with a long lecture on safety, Applejack's old farm truck breaks before Sunset can drive it, and Rarity has Sunset try to drive a rented limo.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/DCSuperHeroGirls2019'' episode [="#CrashCourse,"=] Diana takes a driving test. During that test, she decides to help stop a group of villains in a getaway chase.
* ''WesternAnimation/SabrinaTheAnimatedSeries'' (one of the aunts), which humorously resulted in ''everyone'' getting a license. Even ''the Cat'' (Salem).
* ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible'' (only without danger in the re-test, but there is some in the mission involving the car she used in the re-test)
* A recurring plot in ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants'' revolves around [=SpongeBob's=] futile attempts to earn his driver's license at Mrs. Puff's Boating School, at which he is considered "unteachable." While he's good in class and can do oral exams perfectly, he DrivesLikeCrazy and regularly causes mass destruction when behind the wheel. Notable examples of his driving tests include "Boating School," in which he is given tips by Patrick on how to drive but later considers it cheating; "The Hot Shot," where [=SpongeBob=] is given lessons by the son of a race car driver; "Bumper to Bumper," in which Mrs. Puff teaches [=SpongeBob=] a surreal mantra and takes him to drive in a deserted area; and "Boating Buddies," in which Squidward is involved in [=SpongeBob=] and Mrs. Puff's insane boat drive.

* The Pixar short ''Lifted'' replaces "driving" with "AlienAbduction".
* One episode of ''WesternAnimation/RockosModernLife'' has Rocko re-taking his driving test after getting his license revoked. Throughout the episode, he's constantly warned about taking his test with "the fat guy". Rocko ends up with a fairly rotund elephant who gives him his driving test '''without any car'''. Rocko passes, and then finds out that wasn't even ''the'' fat guy.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' contributes two: Once when Homer takes his limo driver's test and a second when Otto needs to get his license. Otto has trouble initially.
--> "Alcohol increases your ability to drive..." ''Pages through book to answers.'' "FALSE!?!"

* In ''WesternAnimation/Ben10UltimateAlien'', Gwen takes her driving test, but who cares? Ben's getting a video game made about him!!
* ''WesternAnimation/BigCityGreens'' did this with Alice Green in one episode, given that she had to retake her road test after it expired decades ago. However, she admits she's afraid to take the test and is worried she won't do well, but regains her confidence thanks to Cricket and Tilly. In the end she passes and gets her license, though restricted.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheBatman'' has Batgirl get kicked out of driving school after she sees Batman drive by in pursuit of the Supervillain of the Week and [[DidntThinkThisThrough tries to join the chase]].
* ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDragonJakeLong'': In one episode, a magical creature turns Jake into an adult and he decides to take a driving test. His driving is so lousy the tester only passes him because he threatens to request the same tester for all next times he takes another driving test.

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheLooneyTunesShow'', one episode focuses entirely on three characters taking their driving tests. Porky's license expired, and Daffy and Lola were both so clueless, they didn't even know they needed licenses. Porky "fails", because his written test gets swapped with Daffy's (maliciously) and Lola (accidentally) both times he tries. Then, for different reasons, Daffy and Lola wind up grading ''themselves'' on the driving test (Sam was administering the test. He was too short to see out the window for Daffy's significant-but-slow errors, and while he got a booster seat for Lola's test, she DrivesLikeCrazy, and he was in shock at the end of it.)
* In ''WesternAnimation/TheLoudHouse'' episode "Driving Miss Hazy", Lincoln decides to help Leni get her driver license after getting tired of having to beg Lori for rides. Given that Leni has failed her driving test 13 times and can't even drive the lawnmower, Lincoln has to resort to "speaking Leni" in order to teach her. However, Lori ends up sabotoging Leni's 14th attempt on purpose, for the sake of worrying she won't be important for driving the kids anywhere anymore.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Kaeloo}}'' had an episode where Stumpy and Quack Quack try to get their driver's licences. [[spoiler: Both of them fail. [[TheDitz Stumpy]] fails not only because he DrivesLikeCrazy, but because Kaeloo didn't do a very good job of teaching him how to drive. Quack Quack, on the other hand, is able to do everything perfectly well, but his driving instructor is [[{{Jerkass}} Mr. Cat]], who not only gives him negative points for ridiculous reasons, but actively tries to make him fail by doing things like shining a flashlight in his eyes and ''[[RemovableSteeringWheel ripping out the steering wheel]]'', finally causing him to drive off a cliff[[note]][[EscapeArtist Mr. Cat somehow escaped the car before it fell.]][[/note]].]]

* The ''WesternAnimation/SymBionicTitan'' episode "Roar of the White Dragon" has Lance taking a driving test. And his driver instructor gets really strict that she threatens to fail him a few times.
* On the ''WesternAnimation/MrMagoo'' cartoon "Safety Spin", Magoo takes a driver's test to renew his driver's license, but accidentally gets on a fire engine instead of the tester's car and wreaks havoc all over town.

* Subverted in the ''Manga/YoureUnderArrest'' manga. Natsumi (an utterly reckless driver) already has a motorcycle license, but not a car license. Upon deciding to obtain one she's eventually required to take a driving test. Her driving is so utterly reckless that the tester passes out almost immediately and doesn't wake up until Natsumi parks back in the lot. She passed. The Anime's take on the events gets her involved in a chase with a cargo truck after it performs a hit and run instead.

* The ComicBook/MarvelAdventures version of ComicBook/SpiderMan has to take a driving test in one issue. He does very well - the SpiderSense apparently does wonders on the road - until a villain attacks, and he has to "panic" to get away so he can put on his suit and fight. Naturally, he fails. In a mild subversion, he doesn't retake and doesn't actually mind all that much (probably because he lives in New York City).
* In ''[[ComicBook/RobinSeries Robin]]'' Tim is surprised to learn his friend Ives had turned sixteen, taken his driver's test and gotten his license since he last saw him, (Tim is notoriously bad at keeping track of birthdays). Then once he gets in the car and he and Ives start driving over to Gotham's Chinatown to hang out he quickly becomes loudly incredulous that Ives actually passed his test since Ives is heavy on the brakes and refuses to go over [=20mph=].

* The subplot to episode 7 of ''LightNovel/ThePetGirlOfSakurasou'' focuses on Misaki taking her test, inevitably scaring her driving instructor (whom she keeps calling Nancy) each time.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/DCSuperHeroGirls2019'' episode "#CrashCourse," Diana takes a driving test. During that test, she decides to help stop a group of villains in a getaway chase.

* A recurring plot in ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants'', is [=SpongeBob=] at Mrs. Puff's Boating School, at which he is deemed "unteachable." He's good in class and he can do oral exams perfectly, but he can't actually drive when he's in a boat. Notable examples of his driving tests include "Boating School," in which he is given tips by Patrick on how to drive but later considers it cheating; "The Hot Shot," where [=SpongeBob=] is given lessons by the son of a race car driver; "Bumper to Bumper," in which Mrs. Puff teaches [=SpongeBob=] a surreal mantra and takes him to drive in a deserted area; and "Boating Buddies," in which Squidward is involved in [=SpongeBob=] and Mrs. Puff's insane boat drive.

When a character needs to pass a road test to earn a driving license. Usually they are a teenager who is obtaining a driver's license for the first time in their life [[ComingOfAgeStory as part of the process of advancing to adulthood]]. In most North American societies it is a cultural norm to obtain a driver's license in the early years of adolescence, and the adult who doesn't hold one will be portrayed as a ManChild. More rarely, they might need to renew an existing license.

* ''Series/TwoPointFourChildren'': Part of the plot for "Dirty Bowling" revolves around Bill's belated attempts to pass her driving test. However, an unavoidable trip to the dentist has made her difficult to understand, a problem since some of the test involves her having to say out loud some of the road signs. Despite this, however, she is successful thanks to the assistance of her mysterious motorbike friend Angelo.

[[folder:Film]]

* In an episode of ''Series/AdamTwelve'', Pete Malloy is forced to let his partner Jim Reed to drive the patrol car when he finds out his licence is expired.