Driving tests future-proofed
Driving tests are being updated to better reflect the in-car environment today and the demands it places on today’s motorists.
Four changes have been announced which will come into force on 4 December, which include following directions from a sat nav, driving into a parking space, answering vehicle safety questions while driving, and completing 20 minutes of independent driving instead of 10.
The Driving and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) said the updated test will include ‘more real life scenarios,’ while the RAC has described it as a ‘more realistic’ assessment.
Following sat nav directions is being introduced as an alternative to following road signs, while the traditional reversing around a corner test will be scrapped.
Transport minister Andrew Jones said the government was always looking for ways to improve safety on UK roads, and that, ‘ensuring the driving test is relevant in the 21st Century, for example, the introduction of sat navs, will go a long way towards doing this.’
The changes come following a public consultation which received nearly 4,000 responses, with the vast majority supporting the sat nav and independent driving changes.
