Driving test changes in 2010

book12

From October 2010, there will be changes to the driving test.

More information:

http://www.1stdrive.com/newtest.htm
http://www.ukadi.co.uk/2009/09/driving-test-october-2010-changes.html
http://www.dsa.gov.uk/Documents/learning%20to%20drive%20report/Executive%20summary.pdf
http://www.dsa.gov.uk/Documents/learning%20to%20drive%20report/Section%205-%20Summary%20of%20main%20decisions.pdf
http://www.dsa.gov.uk/Documents/despatch/2009/dsa_despatch_aug2009.pdf (p.7 onwards)

christopher2010

Gets harder and harder doesn't it. May be a good thing though.

alwaysonthego_2

I don't see the independent driving to be a bad thing because if you know the area well where you are doing your test then this should be no problem. TBH I found it off-putting being told where to go by the examiner and got confused when he told me to go left, whereas I could go left if I was not thinking about it too much.

DCFC79

It can only be a good thing if its harder, less boy racers on the road

SailorSam

Will it make a huge difference. There are lots of scally drivers who drive without a licence and insurance now.

456789

Sat Navs in a test!
I don't think only 1 maneuvre is a good idea but still longer and costs more!

New drivers may not be allowed to have more than one passenger for the first year of driving. This is because when one young person passes a test they often fill the car with friends who encourage them to do stupid things. The weight of the car also changes a lot with passengers and can make a big difference to the way a car steers and brakes.

- what if they have a family? how will they learn to cope with the weight difference?

elektra-2007

When is all this coming in? My bro is doing lesson now, when he passes his test he will have his kids in the car!! If he can only take 1 person in the car it would be daft, hes getting his licence to improve his familys life not go boy racing round the streets.

KeithP

elektra-2007 wrote: »

When is all this coming in?

Elektra, re-read the first post.

Not_a_Newbie

I would like to see more emphasis on how your driving impacts on other road users. For example what happens when you pull out in front of a lorry and not accelerate away fast enough. The number of times I see that happening and the poor HGV driver has about 100 gears to change down just because some idiot has pulled out in front of them. And also how not to pass horses and riders on the road, not being, passing them at 50 mph with a gap of about 2 ft!

pitkin2020

Not_a_Newbie wrote: »

I would like to see more emphasis on how your driving impacts on other road users. For example what happens when you pull out in front of a lorry and not accelerate away fast enough. The number of times I see that happening and the poor HGV driver has about 100 gears to change down just because some idiot has pulled out in front of them. And also how not to pass horses and riders on the road, not being, passing them at 50 mph with a gap of about 2 ft!

there is a great deal lacking in the current driving including situations like you mentioned.

I also think some motorway awareness needs to be included wether it be practical or simulation as too many do not know how to drive on a motorway, i.e staying in the middle for too long when the left lane is clear, also undertaking, which is illegal and highly dangerous, but they arent all made aware of that fact

pitkin2020

having read the first link, are these people serious?? to quote:

• There may be a minimum learning time of a year, meaning it will not be possible to do intensive courses. An instructor will have to sign to say that you have been learning with them for a minimum period of time. Britain is one of the few countries in Europe not to have a minimum learning time and some countries such as Finland have a minimum time of 2 years.

So this penalises the people who just have the knack to take as long as the ones that just dont get it?? or is this just another way to eanr more money?? If this was to be introduced you would end up with more young drivers driving without a license!! It also undermines the testing procedure, if the test was stringent enough it wouldn't matter wether someone had been learning for 5 minutes or 5 years they would be weeded out at the testing stage

• Parents/family etc may not be allowed to teach people to drive, to achieve this it may be made so that only dual controlled cars can be used on tests. At the moment pretty much anybody can just teach friends and family to drive no matter how bad a driver they are. Over 60% of people surveyed though that it should be essential for all learners to take lessons with a professional instructor.

I dont disagree with this, but maybe only allow them to be taught by people who have had a license for over 7 years with no penalty points (not saying those people are better drivers they just appear better)

• New drivers may be limited to buying a car with an engine no bigger than 1.4 litres for their first year. Too many inexperienced drivers buy powerful cars that they just can't handle and end up killing themselves and others. A similar system is popular in Australia, where speed limits are lower for newer drivers.

The 1.4 max engine im neither for or against, the only problem i can see is like in my house, if my partner learns to drive i would have to replace my car to comply or buy a 2nd car with a 2nd set of expenses. As for lower speed limits for younger people, how would they police it they cant get a control on speeding for the general public now!!

• New drivers may not be allowed to have more than one passenger for the first year of driving. This is because when one young person passes a test they often fill the car with friends who encourage them to do stupid things. The weight of the car also changes a lot with passengers and can make a big difference to the way a car steers and brakes.

Ludicrious, a lot of people learn to drive later in life and may have a family so learning to drive would just impede them.