Learner drivers to spend more time on faster roads during tests

Driving test candidates will be required to spend longer on faster roads during tests.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) said it is making the change from November 24 to better represent the conditions many motorists experience after passing their test, such as driving on rural roads.

A five-month trial of the switch was conducted at 20 test centres across Britain earlier this year.

Nearly half (48%) of crashes involving car drivers aged between 17 and 24 where someone was killed or seriously injured between 2019 and 2023 took place on rural roads, a House of Commons Library briefing document shows.

That is compared with 42% for drivers outside that age range.

The UK Government’s Roads minister Simon Lightwood said: “We’re doing all we can to make our roads safer.

“By focusing more tests on higher speed roads we’re tackling one of the biggest risks for young motorists, helping to reduce collisions and save lives.”

Amanda Lane, DVSA head of driver testing and driver training policy, said: “High speed roads, particularly those in rural areas, are among the most treacherous for novice drivers.

“To keep all road users safe, it’s crucial that the practical driving test assesses learners on the skills required to drive in the real world.”

Other changes being made to the test include:

– Reducing the number of stops learners must make from four to three.

– Decreasing the frequency of emergency stops from one in three tests to one in seven.

– Giving examiners the power to increase the length of independent driving – which can involve following a satnav, traffic signs, or both – to between 20 minutes and the full duration of the test.

The DVSA said the need to find slower speed areas to perform stops during a test limits the distance and number of roads that can be covered.

It is hoped decreasing the number of stops will provide greater flexibility when planning test routes.

The agency added that the changes will have no impact on the timing of tests or the number available.

There is a major backlog of driving tests, which the DVSA attributes to an increase in demand and people booking tests much earlier than before.

Test booking

The number of learner drivers in Britain with a future test booking as of the end of October was 642,000.

Some 182,000 tests were conducted last month, an increase of 9% from 168,000 in October 2024.

Last week, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander announced that military driving examiners will be mobilised to test civilians.

Other measures aimed at tackling the backlog include combating the issue of people reselling tests for profit.

Only learners – not instructors – will be able to book slots, and they will also only be able to move the location of tests to a centre near the original booking.