Sometimes. Georgia’s Department of Driver Services (DDS) says a non-commercial road test may be administered in a virtual or traditional format. In a virtual test, an examiner works remotely through a dual-facing camera and a hands-free cellular device, while a parent, guardian, or other responsible adult aged 21 or older rides along as a passenger. The Lithonia Driving Test Route starts from the DDS Lithonia Customer Service Center at 8040 Rockbridge Rd, Lithonia, GA 30058. DDS doesn’t say which format Lithonia uses. Here’s what DDS does say about each one.
Two Formats
Can learners test virtually at the Lithonia Driving Test Route?
DDS’s appointments page says, “Your non-commercial road test may be administered in a virtual or traditional format.” DDS’s pages don’t say which format the Lithonia center uses, and they don’t say whether learners can choose one. Ask when you book. See DDS’s appointments page.
What happens in a virtual road test?
DDS describes it this way. An examiner conducts the test remotely, and administers it through a dual-facing camera and a hands-free cellular device. A parent, guardian, or another responsible adult who is 21 or older must serve as a passenger in the testing vehicle, and that person must have a valid driver’s license. DDS’s Test and Exams page adds that a licensed adult aged 21 or older is in the vehicle. DDS also publishes a “VRT Facts Sheet” with key statistics on its virtual road test. That sheet is a PDF, and this article doesn’t quote its figures. See DDS’s test and exam information page.
What happens in a traditional road test?
DDS says an examiner conducts it in person, seated in the passenger seat of the testing vehicle. DDS’s Test and Exams page says you perform various driving tasks and need a minimum score of 75% to pass. It adds that the examiner reviews your score sheet and discusses the results at the end. DDS places that 75% statement under its traditional road test description. DDS’s pages don’t say how scoring works in a virtual test, so ask when you book.
What is the same in both formats?
DDS’s appointments page lists these conditions for non-commercial road tests, with no split by format:
- You need an appointment, and DDS doesn’t accept walk-ins.
- You must be accompanied by a licensed driver aged 21 or older.
- Only the applicant and that driver can be in the car.
- No children or pets are allowed in the vehicle.
- DDS doesn’t charge for non-commercial road test reservations or appointments.
You need your appointment number and the email you used to schedule in order to change or cancel. DDS says to check your email.
What the Test Expects
What does DDS expect at the Lithonia Driving Test Route?
DDS’s Test and Exams page lists these expectations for the Road Skills Test, without separating the two formats:
- Parallel parking. Park midway between two standards, with your car less than 18 inches from the curb.
- Backing. Back about 50 feet at a slow speed, as straight and smooth as possible, looking back at all times.
- Stopping for signs and signals. Give the proper hand or brake signal, approach in the proper lane, and stop before the crosswalk.
- Turnabout. Turn your car around in a narrow space using two-, three-, or five-point turns.
- Corners, turning, and yielding. Use the proper lane, look both ways, signal an adequate distance before turns, and yield to anyone already in the intersection.
- Passing and following. Check ahead and behind before passing, and keep a safe following distance.
- Posture. Keep both hands on the wheel, don’t rest an elbow on the window, and don’t chat with the examiner.
DDS’s older 2023-2024 manual adds measurements, such as a 22 by 10 foot parallel parking space and backing at no more than 10 mph.
What does the vehicle need for the Lithonia Driving Test Route?
DDS says the Road Skills Test is available only in English. It requires a vehicle with valid liability insurance, registration, and a safety inspection. You must know hand signals if turn signals are absent, and the license plate can’t be expired. DDS’s road test page adds that you bring a paper copy of the registration and a current insurance card. For rentals, your name must be on the rental agreement. If the car has temporary tags or was bought within the last 30 days, bring a bill of sale. See DDS’s road test page.
Before You Book
How do learners book the Lithonia Driving Test Route?
DDS says appointments are required for road tests only, and it offers an online appointment system. DDS also asks you to fill out its required License/ID/Permit Form before you visit a center. Teens must fulfill all Class D license requirements. Learners 18 and over must hold a valid Georgia non-commercial learner’s permit, sign an affidavit confirming 40 hours of supervised road driving including 6 at night, and pass the knowledge exam. DDS says customers with suspended licenses can’t test.
Where is the Lithonia Driving Test Route site?
DDS’s Lithonia Customer Service Center serves DeKalb and is at 8040 Rockbridge Rd, Lithonia, GA 30058. DDS’s page lists Non-Commercial Road Test among its services. It lists hours as Tuesday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., and Saturday, 7:30 a.m. to noon, closed Sunday and Monday. Confirm the hours on DDS’s page before you go. See DDS’s Lithonia location page.
Preparing and Staying Calm
Are there specific roads I should focus on for Lithonia Driving Test Route?
Nobody can guarantee which streets you’ll get. Treat any source that claims otherwise with caution, since the examiner chooses the route. Some websites sell sets of “routes” for test centers. Those are not DDS information. Based on instructor input and route pattern data, tests from this center reasonably draw from roads around Rockbridge Road. Steady, consistent driving matters more than guessing the route in advance.
I get nervous before driving tests. How can I calm down before my Lithonia appointment?
Plan your trip ahead of time so you arrive calm. Pack your documents the night before. Sit in the car for a minute before the test starts. Run through your mirrors, seat position, and controls. A warm-up routine before every practice drive can carry that calm into the test. If you fail, remember that you can retest after DDS’s waiting period.
How RouteBuddy Can Help You Prepare
Virtual or traditional, the driving skills are the same ones on DDS’s list. RouteBuddy helps you practice the roads commonly used around your test center before test day. It draws on driving instructor input and route pattern data, not DDS records.
Here’s what the app offers:
- Turn-by-turn voice navigation, so you can focus on driving instead of directions
- Mock exam simulation for a realistic run-through before the real thing
- Map previews of the roads near your test center
- Practice for tricky junctions and intersections, the spots learners tend to struggle with
- Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support, so it works right through your car’s display
RouteBuddy is subscription-based. It’s available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. It won’t ever claim to show you the official or guaranteed route for Lithonia, because that doesn’t exist. What it gives you instead is a practical way to practice the roads and junctions your examiner is likely to use.
Final Thoughts
So can learners test virtually at the Lithonia Driving Test Route? Sometimes. DDS says a non-commercial road test may be virtual or traditional, and it doesn’t say which format Lithonia uses, so ask when you book. Either way, bring a licensed driver aged 21 or older. Nobody can hand you the exact route, but steady practice puts you well ahead of guessing blind.