DVSA announces changes to the UK driving test
On Saturday 15th April, the DVSA announced updates to the UK driving test with plans revealed to improve road safety. From 4th December 2017, learner drivers will experience the following changes:
- They will have to demonstrate that they can follow directions from a sat nav
- Answer a vehicle safety question whilst driving
- The independent driving part of the test will increase to 20 minutes (currently 10 minutes)
- The ‘reverse around a corner’ and ‘turn-in-the-road’ manoeuvres will no longer be tested but replaced with more everyday situations such as driving into a parking bay.
These changes are important to increase the UK’s road safety. Road collisions account for over a quarter of all deaths of those aged between 15 and 19. The DVSA wants to make sure that training and the driving test reduce the number of young people being killed in road collisions.
The government is committed to reducing the number of people killed and seriously injured on our roads and changing the driving test will help to do this. It will provide a better assessment of candidates’ abilities to drive independently in modern driving conditions. The changes also reflect the uptake of technology that supports drivers, for instance 52 per cent of car drivers now have a sat nav. As a result, the DVSA wants new drivers to be trained to use them safely.
Ian McIntosh, CEO of RED Driving School highlights: “RED Driving School supports the DVSA’s move to change the driving test and any other future initiatives that improve road safety. It’s imperative that the UK’s driving test is aligned to practical, real world driving experiences.”
If you want to find out more on the DVSA’s changes to the UK driving test, you can read more here.
