All driving lessons have been cancelled under the Government guidelines and for the welfare of both Instructors and pupils. We will re-start lessons as soon as the all clear is given from the Government. Currently there are NO TESTS being taken and until such time as the DVSA deem it safe to do so there will be no test available including theory tests.
Once the all clear has been given please contact us at the office on 01792 870701 / 0800 30 60 70 to re-book your lessons
Now that lessons are back up and running, we are all facing a back log of tests.
Up until now it has only been possible to bock test up to 6 weeks in advance. The DVSA online booking system has failed on several occasions leaving thousands of people unable to book test.
As of Monday, 14/9/20 the DVSA have said they will be making 375,000 tests available over a 16-week period. Let’s hope this happens and the system can cope with it
Examiners will conduct the test in exactly the same way as with the current paper form but will record it electronically on the app.
Capturing test results electronically will remove the need for almost 2 million test forms to be scanned each year and speed up notification of the result to DVLA, cutting the time taken for successful candidates to receive their full driving licence.
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 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.
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.
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:
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:
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:
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:
England’s 20 worst learner drivers have attempted the practical test more than 700 times between them, it has emerged.
Figures released by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) show how one 38-year-old Liverpool man took 39 goes to pass the driving test.
Heckmondwike, in Yorkshire, accounted for a fifth of the top 20 practical test repeaters.
The Driving Instructors Association questioned whether people should be able to sit tests so many times.
DVSA’s chief examiner Lesley Young said: “The result of their test is entirely dependent on their performance on the day.
“It’s essential that all drivers demonstrate they have the right skills, knowledge and attitude to drive safely.”
From today (8 June 2015), the paper counterpart to the photocard driving licence is being replaced by an online service
This will save motorists millions of pounds and change the way they share their information with employers and car hire companies.
The paper counterpart includes information on a driver’s penalty points along with details of what vehicles they can drive. Drivers still need to keep their actual driving licence, whether it is a plastic photocard licence or an old style paper licence which was issued before 1998.
On Thursday 10th July some driving examiners may be taking industrial action.
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) are encouraging all candidates to attend if they have a test booked. The strike only affects those examiners who are members of the Public and Commercial Service Union and the DVSA are doing everything possible to ensure as many tests as possible go ahead.
If your test is cancelled your test will be automatically re-booked and you will be able to claim expenses from the DVSA. If you do not turn up for your test you will have to pay for another test and you will not be able to claim expenses.
Please note that theory tests are unaffected.
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Official figures show that deaths on Britain’s roads continued to fall in 2013 by 2% to 1,713. Whilst this is a huge number, it is important to point out that it is half the number of people killed in 2005 and the lowest ever total since records began in 1926.
The number of children killed on Britain’s roads also fell to 48 in 2013 (from 61 in 2012) and the number of cyclist fatalities fell from 118 to 109 for the same period.
These figures show what is possible with good road safety education, quality driving tuition and proper testing and good driver attitude. It is by no means acceptable, there is still a long way to go, but at least we are heading in the right direction.
One area for concern is motorways. While they still remain the safest roads in Britain, death rates rose to 100 in 2013 which is an increase of 14%.
If you have recently passed your driving test, we would strongly recommend that you take the Pass Plus (which includes motorway driving) or at the very least some motorway driving lessons to make sure that you keep yourself and others safe on the motorway. For the price of a couple of driving lessons you could save a life.
To view the full report, click here.
Let’s continue the trend.