New Test Changes To The UK Practical Test

On the 4th of December 2017, new changes are coming to the UK driving test. Many learner drivers are going to experience the new changes set out by the DVSA to encompass more of the modern ways of driving and style.

What’s going to stay the same in the new test?

Some of the previous elements in the old test will change but here are the things that won’t change on the 4th of December or onwards.

1. The parallel park manoeuvre – You may be asked by your examiner to perform a parallel park. Your examiner will ask you to this in a quiet residential area.
2. The emergency stop manoeuvre – you will be asked at one point in the test to carry this out. Not to fear, your examiner will let you know beforehand and will explain the procedure, he/she will also look around you to make sure it is safe.
3. The test fees – no changes in the current price of the practical test fee of £62 during weekdays and £75 on weekends.
4. The test marking procedure  – The marking criteria will stay the same as usual with up to 15 minors and 0 serious faults to pass.

The actual new changes in the new practical test…

Here are all the new changes being announced and enforced from the 4th of December.

1. New satnav integration – A satnav will be used for directions when learners drive through the respective towns with the local test centre. Examiners will provide the TomTom Start 52 satnav for all learners. Be wary, that 1 in 5 tests conducted will not include the satnav, but examiners will ask you to follow road signs. Don’t worry if you don’t take the right direction, the whole point of the test is to test if you’re a safe driver.
2. Reversing manoeuvres are changing and here are the new changes. They are scrapping 2 of 3 previous reversing manoeuvres in for some new ones. They are introducing pulling up on the right-hand side of the road, reversing up to 2 car lengths then rejoin the traffic,  driving into a bay park and reversing out of one and parallel park on the side of the road.
3. The independent driving is increasing from 10 mins to 20 mins. This change is going to help examiners help identify the learner’s bad driving habits.
4. The way questions are asked during the test is going to be changing. The “show me” questions will be asked whilst the candidate is driving with the instructor, an example of this might be “how do you test the horn on the car”? The “tell me” questions will be asked before the driving section of the test.

Should I be worried about these changes?

The short answer is no. These new changes have been designed to help new drivers understand and operate satnavs when driving. It also helps new learner drivers find it easier to navigate through towns and cities as a result of the longer independent section.

With all these new altercations being in place, this has also put some examiners off the new changes and on the 4th & 5th of December, there is a planned examiner strike. If you were taking an intensive driving course Oxford and you have a test fall on the 5th of December, you will then need to visit the DSVA’s claim lost expenses page to apply for a refund.