WHat is the deal with the center console stipulation on the NJ road test?

Question

My car has no center console, with bench seating in the front. The E-brake is a pedal to the left of the brake. It says in the manual that there must be no center console, so the tester can reach the brakes, but I've heard of people failing because they didn't have a hand brake, but also had no center console

Answer 1

"So the tester can reach the brakes?"

If that means what it SOUNDS like it means, that's INSANE.  The hand brake is for PARKING, and MAYBE for extreme emergencies where the regular brakes aren't working.  But in the latter case it's just as likely to cause ANOTHER emergency when the car flips over, or skids into something because the brakes locked up.

Answer 2

This is INSANE!  If a passenger (government tester or no)  tried to apply the brakes on my car while I was driving, I'd slap the snot out of them!

Answer 3

The vehicle cannot have a center console, unless the emergency brake is accessible to the examiner.

Before starting the test, the examiner will check the brake to see if it will hold when the vehicle is in motion.