Several signs are pointing to more Arizonans seeking to resume their normal habits when it comes to obtaining driverβs licenses and instruction permits, officials say.
The Arizona Department of Transportation has already seen a summer surge in instruction permit test applicants. The instruction permit is required for teens to eventually get a graduated driverβs license.
βOur in-office traffic at MVD offices is picking up. June was busier than our previous Junes,β said Doug Pacey, an ADOT spokesman.
Pacey added: βI know that the summer months of June and July, we always see a bit of a spike in applications for instruction permits, and people who take the written test. Schoolβs out of session right now for people who are 15 and 16. That age, we do see a spike in permit tests.β
Despite the pandemic, the stateβs MVD offices never stopped receiving appointments to bring new Arizona drivers into the fold.
βRoad tests never stopped. We never stopped doing them, going back to March of 2020. We stopped doing some other appointments in office, but road tests were ones that we continue to do,β Pacey said.
Those road tests consist of allowing a test administrator to observe and grade the applicantβs specific actions and their ability to operate the vehicle safely as more than 90% of crashes are caused by driver behavior, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
ADOT offers practice tests and manual for applicants to test their knowledge with by visiting tucne.ws/1hzt.
βThe best way to stay safe, obviously, is to practice your driving and to know the rules of the road before you show up for the test. Everything you need to know on the test is there; you just have to go practice,β Pacey said.
ADOT is still encouraging Arizonans to practice the current best safety habits during the pandemic.
βIf someone wants to go take a road test, itβs the same if they go into an office. Itβs the same in a vehicle: If theyβve been vaccinated, they donβt have to wear a mask. But if they havenβt, we asked that they do and itβs the same thing for the MVD examiners,β Pacey said.
The vehicles used for the road test must be in working order, including operational brakes, speedometer, turn signals, seat belts, doors, windows, mirrors, horn and an unobstructed windshield, ADOT said.
The applicant must also show proof of insurance and valid vehicle registration.
βWhen itβs hot in the summer, if a personβs car doesnβt have working air conditioning, we really encourage them to schedule a road test that is early in the morning, for the benefit of the tester and the MVD examiner before it gets really hot,β Pacey said.
Soon, these would-be drivers, like everyone else, will schedule their road test at their desired MVD office.
It can be done by visiting the AZMVDNow.gov site, which can be used even if an account is not activated or by calling the MVD office. Customers can also visit authorized third-party provides.
While there might not be a backlog of people trying to obtain their licenses and other services, the use of scheduling should get you on the road quicker.
βMy advice to people who need a service completed at an MVD office is to go online and schedule an appointment. When they arrive at the office, they can avoid a longer wait time than had they walked in without an appointment,β Pacey said.
βThat way MVD can get them out of line and safely back on the road after they pass that test.β
Down the RoadOvernight delays on I-10 ramps: Motorists should expect intermittent delays on Interstate 10 entrance and exit ramps in Tucson beginning Tuesday.
Crews will conduct road striping on ramps between Grant Road and Park Avenue each night from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. until the end of the week.
The ramps will remain open for motorists.
