Driving test set for biggest shake up in 20 years

Learner drivers could soon be asked to follow sat nav directions and reverse out of parking bays, as the Government looks to improve driving standards and cut the number of people killed or seriously injured on Britain’s roads.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency plans to implement the changes for the test in 2017. It will also extend the independent driving section of the test, from 10 to 20 minutes.

Other changes on the table include asking learner drivers to demonstrate competence when it comes to operating important safety features of the car while driving, such as the heated rear screen or ventilation controls to demist the windscreen.

Road traffic collisions accounts for over a quarter of all deaths for those between age 15 and 19. 

It's hoped that the new driving test will help lower the number of accidents among young drivers, who currently account for a fifth of the 2000 people killed on Britain's roads every year. Road traffic collisions account for over a quarter of all deaths for those between the age of 15 and 19.

The new test has already been trialed with over 4000 learners and 850 driving instructors, across the UK. A consultation on the changes ended on 25 August and the new test could be introduced from January.

Steve Gooding, the director of the RAC Foundation, said: “These proposed changes recognise that it is more important for candidates to demonstrate the ability to drive independently on high-risk roads than the skill of reversing into a quiet cul-de-sac.

“The new approach will be deemed a success if, in the longer term, it produces better-prepared drivers and we experience fewer road casualties.”