Traditional road tests may be a thing of the past in Rhode Island

CRANSTON. R.I. (WJAR) — If you can pass a written test and navigate the parking lot, you can get a driver's license in Rhode Island. The traditional road test many people took, never came back since the pandemic began.

Three years later, the parking lot driving test is still the norm, even as most states are back on the road.

Anderson Villa, 17, of Johnston, passed his road test Thursday, but he said it didn’t feel like much of a challenge.

“They had me parallel park, three-point turns, just basic stuff, parking and stops signs,” said Villa. “I feel like this is just it’s a little too easy and I just don’t think it prepares kids to be on the road.”

The Rhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles set up a closed course in Cranston so students could still take their test and instructors could safely watch without catching COVID-19. Three years later, the test is still done in the parking lot.

Peter Grimaldi, spokesperson for the Rhode Island DMV, said there are benefits.

“We’re finding it’s easy for us to manage the process this way. We get more tests done. There’s less sort of down time for the examiners. They know when somebody’s coming. They know where to be, and we know how long the tests take. There are fewer surprises, if you would,” said Grimaldi.

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Surprises that would happen in the real world on the open road, such as when another driver stops short, or when a pedestrian steps off the curb.

John Riccio from West Warwick said his 22-year-old son also took the test Thursday, but he prefers the road test.

“I just don’t see where they have the experience. I mean, if you’re on the road it’s real, like action, it’s not controlled by cones or orange barriers. On the road, you just learn more,” said Riccio.

The Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles resumed road tests in June 2020.

NBC 10 News stopped by the Fall River location on Thursday and found nobody around because the testers and students were out on the road.

“I see several cars lined up in the morning in the road test area and they all go out on the road so they can deal with city driving, which is more difficult,” said Kathryn Burns of Swansea.

Grimaldi said the DMV will continue the closed course in Cranston and might add others throughout the state.