The 4 driving test changes

1. Independent driving part of the test will increase to 20 minutes

   The independent driving part of the test currently lasts around 10 minutes. During this part of the test, you have to drive without turn-by-turn directions from the driving examiner.

   This part of the test will be made longer, so it’ll last around 20 minutes – roughly half of the test.

2. Following directions from a sat nav

   During the independent driving part of the test, most candidates will be asked to follow directions from a sat nav.

   The examiner will provide the sat nav (a TomTom Start 52) and set it up. You won’t need to set the route – the examiner will do this for you. So, it doesn’t matter what make or model of sat nav you practise with.

   You can’t follow directions from your own sat nav during the test – you have to use the one supplied by the examiner.

   You’ll be able to ask the examiner for confirmation of where you’re going if you’re not sure. It won’t matter if you go the wrong way unless you make a driving fault while doing it.

   One in 5 driving tests won’t use a sat nav. You’ll need to follow traffic signs instead.

3. Reversing manoeuvres will be changed

   The ‘reverse around a corner’ and ‘turn-in-the-road’ manoeuvres will no longer be tested, but you should still be taught them by your instructor.

   You’ll be asked to do one of 3 possible reversing manoeuvres:

   • parallel park at the side of the road
   • park in a bay – either driving in and reversing out, or reversing in and driving out (the examiner will tell you which you have to do)
   • pull up on the right-hand side of the road, reverse for 2 car lengths and rejoin the traffic

4. Answering a vehicle safety question while you’re driving

   The examiner will ask you 2 vehicle safety questions during your driving test – these are known as the ‘show me, tell me’ questions.

   You’ll be asked the:

   • ‘tell me’ question (where you explain how you’d carry out a safety task) at the start of your test, before you start driving
   • ‘show me’ question (where you show how you’d carry out a safety task) while you’re driving – for example, showing how to wash the windscreen using the car controls and wipers

 Who it affects

All car driving tests taken from 4 December 2017 will follow the new format. This includes if:

• you fail a test before then, and retake your test from 4 December 2017
• your test is cancelled or moved for any reason, and your new test date is from 4 December 2017

Your driving instructor will have been teaching you everything you need to know to drive safely, so you shouldn’t need to worry about learning anything new.

Pass mark, length of test and cost not changing

The pass mark is staying the same. So, you’ll pass your test if you make no more than 15 driving faults and no serious or dangerous faults.

The examiner will still mark the test in the same way, and the same things will still count as faults.

The overall time of the driving test won’t change. It will still take around 40 minutes.

The driving test cost will also stay the same.