Driving test to be overhauled - official announcement
Discussion
It seems that the Transport Secretary has finally made the announcement that the driving test will be altered significantly.
Measures he's considering implementing include all the things we've often talked about on here - a minimum learning period of six or twelve months, including night, wet and motorway driving in the test (or at least requiring you to "demonstrate experience" of it), and increasing the test duration.
Apart from that, once new drivers have passed, it's to be proposed that the probationary period of six-points-and-you're-out be increased to three years, and other restrictions under consideration include no night-time driving, a lower blood-alcohol limit, and "no passengers". Not even no back-seat passengers, it actually says no passengers.
I find the former, toughening the test, very sensible. I think the theory test should stop being a joke in the meantime as well. I find the latter restrictions on those who have recently passed pretty ridiculous, except perhaps the longer probationary period. The AA's president seems to agree, saying preparation before the test is far more important than restrictions after it.
It'll be quite a while yet, but this is the first (as far as I know) announcement that changes will be officially proposed, which is expected to happen in a few months.
What do we think?
Full details to be found here (was glad I found a non-DM one
)
Apologies if this is already running, I haven't seen a thread yet.
Measures he's considering implementing include all the things we've often talked about on here - a minimum learning period of six or twelve months, including night, wet and motorway driving in the test (or at least requiring you to "demonstrate experience" of it), and increasing the test duration.
Apart from that, once new drivers have passed, it's to be proposed that the probationary period of six-points-and-you're-out be increased to three years, and other restrictions under consideration include no night-time driving, a lower blood-alcohol limit, and "no passengers". Not even no back-seat passengers, it actually says no passengers.
I find the former, toughening the test, very sensible. I think the theory test should stop being a joke in the meantime as well. I find the latter restrictions on those who have recently passed pretty ridiculous, except perhaps the longer probationary period. The AA's president seems to agree, saying preparation before the test is far more important than restrictions after it.
It'll be quite a while yet, but this is the first (as far as I know) announcement that changes will be officially proposed, which is expected to happen in a few months.
What do we think?
Full details to be found here (was glad I found a non-DM one
)Apologies if this is already running, I haven't seen a thread yet.
A lot of it is a good idea...
Minimum learning period is a good idea - preferably making the drivers clock up a certain number of hours behind the wheel before they can take their test - similar to private pilots. When I passed my test, I had only had eight hours of official tuition on the road, I wasn't by any means 'ready'.
Of course those hours can be clocked up under supervision from a parent etc, so there's no need for it to cost the earth.
The passengers rule is a bit tricky. No passengers would mean that your kid couldn't give a parent a lift, which would be a pain. Perhaps the rule could be, no passengers who who do not have a driving licence, or who have held a licence for less than 12 months, unless there is an adult in the car over 21 who has had a licence for 3+ years.
That stops new drivers giving lifts to their 'mates', and heading off tearing round Pirbright Bends on a Saturday night.
Minimum learning period is a good idea - preferably making the drivers clock up a certain number of hours behind the wheel before they can take their test - similar to private pilots. When I passed my test, I had only had eight hours of official tuition on the road, I wasn't by any means 'ready'.
Of course those hours can be clocked up under supervision from a parent etc, so there's no need for it to cost the earth.
The passengers rule is a bit tricky. No passengers would mean that your kid couldn't give a parent a lift, which would be a pain. Perhaps the rule could be, no passengers who who do not have a driving licence, or who have held a licence for less than 12 months, unless there is an adult in the car over 21 who has had a licence for 3+ years.
That stops new drivers giving lifts to their 'mates', and heading off tearing round Pirbright Bends on a Saturday night.
No passenger rule is abit silly I thought they'd want people to share cars more to be 'green' and all that 
Also logistically how would getting motorway experience work? as there are quite a few areas of the uk (wales,devon,lincolnshire) where a motorway is miles away
Also logistically how would getting motorway experience work? as there are quite a few areas of the uk (wales,devon,lincolnshire) where a motorway is miles away
Edited by petrolsniffer on Tuesday 26th March 11:03
Dr Interceptor said:
The passengers rule is a bit tricky. No passengers would mean that your kid couldn't give a parent a lift, which would be a pain. Perhaps the rule could be, no passengers who who do not have a driving licence, or who have held a licence for less than 12 months, unless there is an adult in the car over 21 who has had a licence for 3+ years.
Sensible stuff in your post, but I particularly like this bit, that's a good idea. Effectively banning new drivers from carrying other new drivers unless there's someone who is deemed fit to supervise a learner, nice. The vast majority of issues encountered with passengers really are promoting inattentiveness or encouragement to do very stupid things, and you'd hope that those passengers who've been driving for twelve months themselves would have started to get out of that.On another note, I unfortunately can't think of any way to police a minimum learning hours system if it doesn't have to be with an instructor. In fact, even with an instructor it looks a little open to manipulation..
Motorway driving I think should be replaced with "extended period of high-speed driving with more than one lane of traffic" or however you'd like to word it, ie. a proper dual carriageway still counts because there's no real difference - the joining and lane discipline are the main problems, so it would deal with those nicely.
Agree that a far bigger issue is the level of idiocy displayed by those who've been driving for years, but let's see if they can deal with the easier (and still valid) target demographic first..
petrolsniffer said:
No passenger rule is abit silly I thought they'd want people to share cars more to be 'green' and all that
Perhaps no young passengers during 11pm-4pm or so. I understand the spirit of what they're after, I think, and I agree with it.Much higher propensity for nonsense with a few young lads in a car late at night.
I quite like the Jezza "you must be able to make tyres squeal to show you are a confident driver" idea. Too many people out there at present with little 'feel' for what their car can and cannot do.
chrisj_abz said:
one flaw in the Motorway driving(or demonstrating experience of) is anyone who lives north of Perth in scotland, and thats a big bit of Scotland too!
I can see why its being included, but as with many policies, not quite thought through enough..
There are no motorways in South Devon or Cornwall either. I'd have to drive about 40 minutes before I reached one. Also, how would they impose the minimum period before the test if you aren't learning with a driving school?I can see why its being included, but as with many policies, not quite thought through enough..
simoid said:
Perhaps no young passengers during 11pm-4pm or so. I understand the spirit of what they're after, I think, and I agree with it.
Much higher propensity for nonsense with a few young lads in a car late at night.
True I agree with it too maybe it's too early to know the exact details yetMuch higher propensity for nonsense with a few young lads in a car late at night.
chrisj_abz said:
one flaw in the Motorway driving(or demonstrating experience of) is anyone who lives north of Perth in scotland, and thats a big bit of Scotland too!
I can see why its being included, but as with many policies, not quite thought through enough..
Would also affect those who live in North West Wales, though not nearly as bad as those in the North of Scotland as you say. Even busy DC's like the A55 don't really cut it when it comes to experiencing motorway driving, the portion of the M6 between the M56 and the M62 is always crazy!I can see why its being included, but as with many policies, not quite thought through enough..
ColdSyphon said:
Would also affect those who live in North West Wales, though not nearly as bad as those in the North of Scotland as you say. Even busy DC's like the A55 don't really cut it when it comes to experiencing motorway driving, the portion of the M6 between the M56 and the M62 is always crazy!
Though you could argue that driving around a quiet town will not remotely prepare you for rush hour London. It won't, but there are limits to how representative you can make the test, and including some decent dual-carriageway portion has to be a big improvement on ignoring it completely.Think how many terrified young girls you see, nose pressed to the windscreen doing 60mph in the middle lane - or people practically stopping on the sliproad. Could at least reduce this problem.
McSam said:
ensible stuff in your post, but I particularly like this bit, that's a good idea. Effectively banning new drivers from carrying other new drivers unless there's someone who is deemed fit to supervise a learner, nice. The vast majority of issues encountered with passengers really are promoting inattentiveness or encouragement to do very stupid things, and you'd hope that those passengers who've been driving for twelve months themselves would have started to get out of that.
On another note, I unfortunately can't think of any way to police a minimum learning hours system if it doesn't have to be with an instructor. In fact, even with an instructor it looks a little open to manipulation..
Motorway driving I think should be replaced with "extended period of high-speed driving with more than one lane of traffic" or however you'd like to word it, ie. a proper dual carriageway still counts because there's no real difference - the joining and lane discipline are the main problems, so it would deal with those nicely.
Agree that a far bigger issue is the level of idiocy displayed by those who've been driving for years, but let's see if they can deal with the easier (and still valid) target demographic first..
Glad you like the passenger idea On another note, I unfortunately can't think of any way to police a minimum learning hours system if it doesn't have to be with an instructor. In fact, even with an instructor it looks a little open to manipulation..
Motorway driving I think should be replaced with "extended period of high-speed driving with more than one lane of traffic" or however you'd like to word it, ie. a proper dual carriageway still counts because there's no real difference - the joining and lane discipline are the main problems, so it would deal with those nicely.
Agree that a far bigger issue is the level of idiocy displayed by those who've been driving for years, but let's see if they can deal with the easier (and still valid) target demographic first..
Agree that policing the minimum hours would be difficult - perhaps make it instructor only, and make the penalty for fudging the results a suitable enough deterrent that it shouldn't happen. The current proposal in the article basically means that someone could hold a provisional for 6 months then take their test without even having had a lesson - totally pointless.
Evoluzione said:
Sounds like some good ideas for a change, but they need to try harder tackling the idiots we already have on the roads.
ye like the middle age old sales men in audis and bmws.Not just new drivers but the complete standard of driving needs to be looked at. although we are a lot better than most countries +_+
A hell of a lot better than the changes to motorcycle testing that went through recently.
Still won't stop the invincible "watch this!" moments we all did at that age...
Although, quite frankly, any reduction in road fatalities isn't going to really work, there's millions of drivers, to only have 2000 or so fatalities a year is fantastic and should be applauded.
Still won't stop the invincible "watch this!" moments we all did at that age...
Although, quite frankly, any reduction in road fatalities isn't going to really work, there's millions of drivers, to only have 2000 or so fatalities a year is fantastic and should be applauded.
Far Cough said:
Motorway - A separate "bolt on" test could be used and become a class on the licence like manual or auto. Therefore those that never use M/ways dont have to bother with it but you can opt for it if you need or want it.
Would solve the lack of motorways to practice on problem.Pass plus included motorways when i did it in '97. Also country driving and city driving, why not roll PP into the proper test?
NO Passengers is silly, part of learning to drive as soon as i hit 17 was to carry people.
Changing the 6 points in Year 1 rule to 3 again is also pointless, to my mind it will just increasing the instance of driving with no license/insurance and there is enough of that already.
What about adopting a maximum power output for new drivers as per motorbikes? I believe they do this or something similar in Ireland.....
NO Passengers is silly, part of learning to drive as soon as i hit 17 was to carry people.
Changing the 6 points in Year 1 rule to 3 again is also pointless, to my mind it will just increasing the instance of driving with no license/insurance and there is enough of that already.
What about adopting a maximum power output for new drivers as per motorbikes? I believe they do this or something similar in Ireland.....
As an 18 year old who has been driving for just short of 2 years I agree with all of the points bar two. The minimum learning time and the no passengers.
Minimum learning time is just ludicrous (well for a minimum of 6 months anyway, 4 months seems OK), most youngsters can't afford to learn to drive in the first place, let alone for 6 months. Not a strong case against it, I know. Just my opinion.
The no passengers full stop is pretty self explanatory. Maybe no full car or no full car after a certain time, but no passengers all together, what's the point?
I actually learnt a lot about driving from reading these forums (been a member since 15/16 IIRC). I'm amazed many people my age don't know about understeer, weather affecting handling ability, cheap tyres etc etc.
There's a couple of things which stick in my head which I read on here the biggest being "imagine meeting yourself coming the other way". Really helped and is glued in to my head.
As an aside, I passed my theory the day after my 17th birthday, my test in 12 weeks, with 1 minor and have yet to have an accident or scrape no matter how small.
I do however understand I am no Senna when it comes to driving, drive accordingly to the conditions and don't feel I have something to 'prove' when I have mates in the car. Most people my age seem to think the opposite.
Minimum learning time is just ludicrous (well for a minimum of 6 months anyway, 4 months seems OK), most youngsters can't afford to learn to drive in the first place, let alone for 6 months. Not a strong case against it, I know. Just my opinion.
The no passengers full stop is pretty self explanatory. Maybe no full car or no full car after a certain time, but no passengers all together, what's the point?
I actually learnt a lot about driving from reading these forums (been a member since 15/16 IIRC). I'm amazed many people my age don't know about understeer, weather affecting handling ability, cheap tyres etc etc.
There's a couple of things which stick in my head which I read on here the biggest being "imagine meeting yourself coming the other way". Really helped and is glued in to my head.
As an aside, I passed my theory the day after my 17th birthday, my test in 12 weeks, with 1 minor and have yet to have an accident or scrape no matter how small.
I do however understand I am no Senna when it comes to driving, drive accordingly to the conditions and don't feel I have something to 'prove' when I have mates in the car. Most people my age seem to think the opposite.
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