It’s Time to Get Ready For Some Changes To The UK Driving Test
As in-car driver aids, such as Sat Nav, parking sensors and even rear facing cameras are increasingly fitted to new vehicles, the DVLA have responded by introducing some changes to the mandatory UK Driving Test to reflect the new skills needed by the modern driver.
Our ADI‘s are all fully qualified to help you understand how these changes will impact you as a learner driver about to take your test.
So it’s out with the old and in with the new. Here we take a look at what’s changing in 2017 and highlight some of the traditionally less popular requirements which will be dropped.
You will be asked to follow a SatNav for part of the new UK driving test from 4th December 2017
Independent driving and sat nav use
Independent driving will now make up nearly half your test time. This is to make sure you’ve really nailed the skills you need to drive alone on the open road.
During the test, the examiner will set a route and for around 20 minutes of the driving test you will be asked to follow directions given to you from a sat nav. This change is to ensure that the test more realistic and will allow you to demonstrate that as the driver you’re able not just to follow the information and directions given but also to process them in a way that’s safe and legal.
Try practising sat nav driving in your next lesson. But beware, one in five tests will still follow the old format. So don’t forget to practise the old fashioned way, by navigating using road signs.
There are new manoeuvres for the new test, such as pulling into a parking bay and then reversing out again.
Two new manoeuvres replace the old ones
Few will be sad to see the old reversing round a corner or the Three Point Turn dropped for the new look test due to be introduced this December.
To replace them there are two new manoeuvres that you could be asked to complete along with parallel parking. So your examiner may ask you to park in a bay in a public car park, and then safely reverse out again or pull up on the right of the road, reverse a short distance and then rejoin traffic.
You’ll be asked do the show me part of show me/tell me on the move
“Show Me Tell Me” question, now done on the move
Currently, these safety questions are asked before you start driving. Nothing changes for ‘tell me’ question but you’ll now be asked the ‘show me’ part of question while you’re actually driving. For example, the examiner might ask you to demonstrate how to wash the windscreen or operate the heater while you are driving. This is currently done at the start of the test when the car is stationary.
Don’t panic!
At Retro Driving School, we’re fully up to speed with the changes to the new test and we make sure our pupils are too. For the best chance of success in the new test, contact us to book a revision lesson and be prepared!
You can learn more about the forthcoming changes to the UK driving test from the DVLA website.
