The DVSA will be carrying out a timing study of the driving test from 16 July until October 2018 across 127 test centres.
We’re carrying out the study to help make sure the new test is as efficient and effective as possible.

How it will work
Trained driving examiners and specially trained timing study observers will work as a team to monitor the overall time taken to conduct the test.
The driving test examiner will greet the candidate in the waiting room as normal and introduce anyone accompanying them before the test starts.
The accompanying study observer will sit in the back of the car and time how long various aspects of the test takes.
This includes things like setting up the sat nav or completing a manoeuvre. It is the only the task that will be timed, not the examiner or the candidate.
There will be no additional scrutiny of the candidate taking their test, and the accompanying observer won’t take part in the test.

Driving test regulations
Regulation 38 of the DT1 states that any person authorised by the Secretary of State can attend for supervision of the test or otherwise.
Anyone in the public service of the Crown, such as a driving examiner or timing observer being paid to carry out this role is authorised by the Secretary of State to supervise a test.

Refusing an accompanying examiner
It’s important the timing study is carried out across as many different tests as possible to help us accurately capture the information we need.
You should make candidates aware during this period their test might be part of the study.
You shouldn’t refuse to let any additional observers sit in during the test, as they have been given the authorisation to do this.
To help make sure tests continue to run smoothly, you should contact your local driving test manager before the test if your candidate has any specific requirements

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has confirmed that the driving test in England, Scotland and Wales will change from Monday 4 December 2017.

The changes are designed to make sure new drivers have the skills they’ll need to help them through a lifetime of safe driving.

The changes will only apply to car driving tests to begin with.

The 4 driving test changes

1. Independent driving part of the test will increase to 20 minutes

The independent driving part of the test currently lasts around 10 minutes. During this part of the test, you have to drive without turn-by-turn directions from the driving examiner.

This part of the test will be made longer, so it’ll last around 20 minutes – roughly half of the test.

2. Following directions from a sat nav

During the independent driving part of the test, most candidates will be asked to follow directions from a sat nav.

The examiner will provide the sat nav and set it up. You won’t need to set the route – the examiner will do this for you. So, it doesn’t matter what make or model of sat nav you practise with.

You can’t follow directions from your own sat nav during the test – you have to use the one supplied by the examiner.

You’ll be able to ask the examiner for confirmation of where you’re going if you’re not sure. It won’t matter if you go the wrong way unless you make a fault while doing it.

One in 5 driving tests won’t use a sat nav. You’ll need to follow traffic signs instead.

3. Reversing manoeuvres will be changed

The ‘reverse around a corner’ and ‘turn-in-the-road’ manoeuvres will no longer be tested, but you should still be taught them by your instructor.

You’ll be asked to do one of 3 possible reversing manoeuvres:

• parallel park at the side of the road
• park in a bay – either driving in and reversing out, or reversing in and driving out (the examiner will tell you which you have to do)
• pull up on the right-hand side of the road, reverse for 2 car lengths and rejoin the traffic

4. Answering a vehicle safety question while you’re driving

The examiner will ask you 2 vehicle safety questions during your driving test – these are known as the ‘show me, tell me’ questions.

You’ll be asked the:

• ‘tell me’ question (where you explain how you’d carry out a safety task) at the start of your test, before you start driving
• ‘show me’ question (where you show how you’d carry out a safety task) while you’re driving – for example, showing how to wash the windscreen using the car controls and wipers

The government is committed to reducing the number of people killed and seriously injured on Great Britain’s roads.

Changing the driving test will help to do this, by making it a better assessment of the candidate’s ability to drive independently in modern driving conditions.

What the changes are

The changes are to:

• increase the ‘independent driving’ part of the test from 10 to 20 minutes
• ask candidates to follow directions from a sat nav during the ‘independent driving’ part
• replace the ‘reverse around a corner’ and ‘turn in the road’ manoeuvres with more real-life scenarios, eg driving into and reversing out of a parking bay
• ask 1 of the 2 vehicle safety questions (known as the ‘show me, tell me’ questions) while the candidate is driving, eg asking them to use the rear heated screen

Why the changes are important

Road collisions are the biggest killer of young people. They account for over a quarter of all deaths of those aged between 15 and 19.

DVSA wants to make sure that training and the driving test reduce the number of young people being killed in collisions.

These changes have been proposed because:

• most fatal collisions happen on high-speed roads (not including motorways) – changing the format of the test will allow more of these types of roads to be included in driving test routes
• 52% of car drivers now have a sat nav -DVSA wants new drivers to be trained to use them safely
• research has shown that new drivers find ‘independent driving’ training valuable – they can relate it to driving once they’ve passed their test