Here's what it takes to pass the new driving test
Aidan Rennie-Jones headed out to see what’s changed with the updated driving test. Did he pass? Let him tell you
The driving test is changing. From December 4, new procedures will be introduced to bring the standard driving exam up to date, so we decided to give it a go before its official implementation.
As I drove towards Kingston-Upon-Thames, where the test would be taking place, I began to feel nervous. What if I failed?
Upon arrival I was introduced to Richard Gladman, the head of driving and riding standards at road safety charity IAM RoadSmart.
Gladman explained that one of the most important changes to the test is the independent driving section. This will now consist of 20 minutes of driving with a satellite navigation system. However, one in five people will have to rely on road signs to guide them rather instead – meaning not all drivers will be using a screen for directions.
It was soon my turn to get behind the wheel. Before getting into the car, however, I had to complete a sight test. As before, you must read a numberplate from a distance of 20 metres. If you fail this part you fail the entire test.
Sight exam finished, I then get behind the wheel. The first 20 minutes consist of independent driving, with the examiner having a route already planned out and telling me where to go. Having only driven in Kingston once before, I had no clue where I was going. However, I focussed on the task in hand and managed not to make any major mistakes
For the second half of my test a sat nav was used. At this point the examiner would usually use his or her own TomTom Start 52 sat nav with a pre-designated location. For my test, however, we used the built-in sat nav of the Citroen C3 I was piloting. You aren’t tested on your sense of direction and will not receive any minors for getting the instructions wrong.
Instead, using a sat nav acts as a way to test you in real-world conditions as most of us use the technology on a daily basis.
Another addition to the test is being asked to pull up on the right hand side of the road, when safe. Once parked you then reverse back two cars lengths.
However, as simple a manoeuvre as this is, it can be tricky pulling back out from the opposite side in to a live lane of traffic. Because of this, many instructors and examiners are calling for it to be removed from the test – causing much controversy. Gladman believes it should be kept in, and I agree with him.
He said: “It prepares you for a real-life situation. If you are pulling into a street with parked cars on either side, which will you choose, a space directly outside your house on the right side or travel 200 yards further down the road and park on the left?”
My final task was to complete a front facing bay park – another addition to the test. It now comes alongside the traditional reverse bay park – a well-known manoeuvre.
Although reverse parking was much easier, front facing is also considered very important in demonstrating the skill of manoeuvrability in a parking area, which is why it has been added to the test.
The test was now at an end and I was told that I’d passed – for the second time in my life.
Overall, the new test is vastly improved and definitely trickier than when I originally passed eight years ago. Not only does it cover more real-world driving practices, such as using a sat nav and parking on the opposite side of the road, it also tests your concentration levels much further. This is because using a sat nav requires common sense too, making sure you are fully aware of your surroundings and not just listening to what the sat-nav tells you.
These changes are relevant enough that they have changed the way new motorists will drive on our roads. I feel they make you concentrate more on your surroundings as well as your actual driving. And with learners being allowed to drive on motorways from next year, the standard of driving should improve across the board.
