We set out to help at least 200 new drivers gain their full licence in 2023. We are happy to say we are currently on 215 test passes and will try our best to get to 250 passes in 2023. Well done to all our hard working instructors and congratulation to every one who became a qualified driver this year

The test passes just keep coming. We are well on the way to achieving our goal for 2023, which was to help over 200 new drivers take to the road. With 3 months still to go we are hoping to smash the 200 barrier.

Again we at A2Z of Motoring are doing all we can to help the DVSA catch up with the waiting list of test by ensuring pupils are at test standard when presented by our instructors

We have now helped well over 150 people pass their test in 2023. There have been 150 pupils who have  passed in an A2Z car while many others have passed in their own cars having had lessons with A2Z instructors

Automatic cars now account for nearly half  of all A2Z of Motoring cars. With the take up of Hybrid and Electric cars increasing daily it seems inevitable that manual cars will slowly disappear. Electric and Hybrid cars do not come in manual only automatic. The change is being driven  by the manufactures, many of whom  have already phased out manual vehicles and now only manufacture full electric or Hybrids.

We are trying our hardest to get pupils through tests as quickly and safely  as we can to open spaces for new pupils to book. So far this year we have had 100 test passes. Congratulations to each and every one of them.

Learner drivers will be allowed to take motorway driving lessons with an approved driving instructor in a car with dual controls from 2018.

The change will apply to England, Scotland and Wales.

Learner drivers will need to be:

• accompanied by an approved driving instructor
• driving a car fitted with dual controls

Any motorways lessons will be voluntary. It will be up to the driving instructor to decide when the learner driver is competent enough to have a motorway lesson.

Trainee driving instructors won’t be allowed to take learner drivers on the motorway.

The change will only apply to learner drivers of cars – learner motorcyclists won’t be allowed to have motorway lessons.

When the change will happen

The exact date in 2018 will be confirmed nearer the time.

The change will be well-publicised so driving instructors and learner drivers are prepared for the change, and other road users know what to expect. The Highway Code rules on motorways will also be updated.

The driving test will change from Monday 4 December 2017 to include following directions from a sat nav and testing different manoeuvres.

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 (a TomTom Start 52) 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