Driving tests: What changes are coming to DVSA driving tests?

Local TV

2025 marks 90 years since the driving test was introduced in the UK. But back in December, GOV.UK reported that waiting times for a car practical driving test were nearly 21 weeks in England, and 13 weeks in Wales.

Transcript

00:00There's challenges around getting the actual driving test with the DVSA and having an examiner

00:07coming along and completing that driving test and that's actually come from not being able

00:14to do driving tests and driving lessons during the pandemic and during lockdowns and we're

00:18still sort of experiencing that wave if you like of pupils still looking to learn to drive

00:25but it's also as well changed the behaviour of people as well that are looking to learn

00:29to drive because they know they perhaps can't get a test for six months or more.

00:35It tends to be that there's a lot of people out there that are booking tests without actually

00:39having a driving instructor in place and then once they've got their test date then trying

00:44to sort of scramble around a little bit and find an instructor.

00:48The best way to do things really is to find a driving instructor to start your course

00:54of driving lessons but work very very closely with that driving instructor to ensure that

01:00you're hitting the right milestones at the right time and that your test is booked as

01:05early as you possibly can do.

01:07The DVSA has said it will consult on introducing longer wait times to re-book a test for candidates

01:13who fail by, for example, making multiple serious or dangerous faults, abusing driving

01:19examiners or failing to attend their test.

01:22The DVSA has said that this is hoped to discourage bad behaviour and to ensure that examiner's

01:27time is respected.

01:29I think driving instructors work quite hard to try and make sure they've got the right

01:34packages in place really to help people so that might be that you can bulk buy some lessons.

01:39I mean one of the big initiatives being undertaken by the DVSA is to recruit 450 more driving

01:44examiners and I think they also have some work in terms of ensuring that they retain

01:49driving examiners as well and make sure that they're keeping their workforce happy.

01:54I think if that can happen that will make a really positive effect.

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