The New Driving Test 2010

Although there are changes to the way the driving tests are being taken, there are plenty of things which are staying the same:

• The recommended amount of lessons has not changed
• You can have the same number of faults as the original test

Even though this change, which was applied on 4th October 2010, may seem sudden, instructors were instructed in early 2009 to the changes, so it shouldn’t make a difference to you when you are being taught.

The main change which has been introduced is ‘independent driving’. Independent driving means you are in control of the car for ten minutes of the test , where you drive the car yourself, without any instructions from the examiner while the car is moving. This gives you the chance to take over the wheel completely, and relax without taking continuous instruction. This also gives the examiner a chance to see how you react driving by yourself.

You will be asked to park the car, and then the examiner will give you up to three simple directions to follow. Alternatively, you may be asked to drive somewhere local, such as the nearest train station. If you are asked to drive to a specific point, they will be signed, so you are not left completely alone to find your destination.

You may also be given a mix of directions and instruction. For this, you will be given a simple diagram of the directions from the examiner to help you recognise the layout of the roads you will need to follow.

Don’t be put off if you get lost, or go the wrong way, as you will not be marked for it. Your destination is irrelevant, and the worst thing you can do is swerve or break suddenly as you realise your mistake, as this will cause you to get marked as normal. Don’t worry, a lot of people don’t see signs or take the wrong way, so just let your examiner know your mistake, and they will point you in the right direction.

Don’t forget that if you do need any extra help, your examiner will always be happy to help. If you struggle with spelling of signs, or if you need any extra direction, all you have to do is ask, and they will do the best to accommodate you.