UK Driving Test Getting Harder

Yup. It's gonna happen!

Well, they've been doing it for years - take anyone who took their test more than a year ago and ask them to sit it again with no extra training - they'd be stuffed!

Our wondrous minister Mr Ladyman, has stuck his nose in again complaining that ADIs aren't teaching good attitude to their customers (good attitude - from the guy who screamed around on Top Gear and has clocked up 9 penalty points for speeding?). So he wants people to do 120 hours behind the wheel before taking their test, maybe turn the thing into a 2 stage test, and make people drive at night and on different types of road, maybe take compulsory training with an ADI, learn about driving while at school.

Fair enough, most of it, though it all depends on how they implement it, but the way it has been presented has annoyed instructors even more than normal. By suggesting that ADIs don't do their job properly he is making sure that the public think that we're just conning them. (I dread to think how they'll respond when we tell them we want them all to take more lessons before we let them go to test because they'll mess up our pass rates - oh, and because you're not ready, you'll have to pay to re-book your test! Yeah right - that's gonna work.)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6223887.stm - basic intro to the story.

http://driving.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,12389-2527212,00.html - comment at The Times.

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=154&t=340548 - the pistonheads have it pretty much spot on - making the test harder is a fairly good idea, but will have no effect on safety - young lads are pretty good at upping their game for the test, but once they have that pink card in their hand.......

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/1596635/an/0/page/0 - some interesting comments, and some utter rubbish from the people in the know at 'horse and hound'!

http://www.beyonddriving.co.uk/2007/04/20/making-the-driving-test-harder/ - a take on this from an instructor.

http://www.theslant.co.uk/2007/01/02/driving-tests-to-get-harder/ - "instant fail upon ownership of burberry would be a start", slightly humourous take from The Slant.

Go to the forums and have a rant, or email the DSA's head of driver safety strategy direct at:
peter.ward@dsa.gsi.gov.uk

Or wind up the lovely Mr Ladyman himself:
stephen.ladyman@dft.gsi.gov.uk

Oh, and if you're getting worried about that driving test you've got booked - relax - this won't happen for approximately 32.367 years based on past experience of suggested changes.