Driving Test Changes - December 2017

This extract is taken from www.gov.uk

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 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 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
   
   How the test will work
   Video from www.gov.uk

The pass mark, length of test and cost are not changing.
You will pass your test if you make no more than 15 driving faults and no serious or dangerous faults and the examiner will still mark the test in the same way. The overall time of the test will still be around 40 minutes.