Independent driving: the facts

Independent driving will become part of the practical driving test in Great Britain in October 2010.

It's tasking the candidate to drive for about 10 minutes, either following a series of directions, following traffic signs, or a combination of both.

To help the candidate be clear about where they’re going, the examiner can show them a diagram too.

It doesn't matter if candidates don't remember every direction, or if they go the wrong way - that can happen to the most experienced drivers.

Newspaper reports

The claim in some newspapers that independent driving would lead to a fall in the driving test pass rate is based on early research where conditions did not reflect the eventual design of the new element of the test.

Subsequent trials with a larger number of participants and more closely reflecting the conditions in the planned new test showed no significant fall in the pass rate.

Video shows independent driving

DSA has published a short video on its YouTube channel explaining more about independent driving.

Watch the video on YouTube.

Latest press release from the Driving Standards Agency

Major road safety milestone as driving test clocks up 75 years of success

The British driving test marks three-quarters of a century of helping keep people safe on the road when it turns 75 on Tuesday 1 June.

The first car and driving licences were introduced in Britain in 1903. But it was not until 1 June 1935 - amid rising numbers of deaths as the popularity of the car increased - that a compulsory driving test was introduced.

The first driver to pass was Mr J Beene and within a year, the number of deaths on the road had fallen by 1,000.

In 1934, 7,343 people were killed on the roads and there were 1.5 million cars. The latest figures show there were 2,538 deaths on the roads in 2008 when there were around 34 million cars.

Road Safety Minister Mike Penning said: “The driving test is not just a rite of passage, it has helped save thousands of lives on our roads.

“The test and the learning needed to pass it are a vital part of giving drivers the skills they need to drive efficiently and safely.

"High standards of driver training and assessment are an essential contribution to helping Britain's roads remain among the safest in the world."

Trevor Wedge, Chief Driving Examiner at the Driving Standards Agency, said: “The driving test still retains some of the original elements included in 1935, such as turning in the road and reversing, but it is updated regularly. We continue to make sure that the test properly prepares drivers for the demands of modern roads.

"This year will see the introduction of independent driving into the test, to help candidates demonstrate their ability to drive without step-by-step instruction. We believe that this added element will lead to better and safer drivers."

Facts and figures:

• the test became compulsory on 1 June 1935, after being introduced on a voluntary basis on 16 March the same year
• the test was suspended during World War II and the Suez Crisis – examiners were put in charge of fuel rationing instead
• until 1975, candidates still had to demonstrate hand signals
• the theory test was introduced in July 1996

29 May 2010

Attend Humberside Fire & Rescues Road Skills seminar FREE:

why not take a friend or parent with you, for more information call Elite on 01482 470151

Accident Statistics for the Humberside area 2009

Why it is so important to drive responsibly after passing your driving test, below are the statistics for accidents in the Humberside area alone for 2009 to the end of August, 1 in 5 accidents are caused by new drivers within the first year of driving.

Accidents between dates  01/01/09  and  30/08/09

Accidents involving:    Fatal   Serious   Slight   Total 

Fiqures for Hull only      3         70        515      588 

DSA Research into the driving test:

For all those who are interested in the Latest survey carried out by the DSA, with regards to:

• Test passes in the UK

• Statistics on the amount of lesson taken before passing the driving test

• Accidents statistics over the first 3 years of driving for new drivers

Please email kev@elitemobilesolutions.co.uk for a free copy of: cohort ii findings dsa