Driving Lessons

The driving test format will be changing in 2010 to test more the way we drive, rather than just complete a series of instructions.

The good news for many learner drivers is that the current 2 manoeuvres required on your driving test will be reduced to just 1 reversing exercise.

This will allow more time to be spent on accessing the overall driving standard of the candidate, whilst not increasing the time of the driving test.

However, the major change comes in the format of a new category called ‘independant driving’. 

Essentially what will now happen is that a candidate will be given a series of instructions/directions to follow and will be expected to either follow road direction signs to a local place, or be given 3 or 4 directions to follow in the format of, ‘at the end of the road turn left, then at the end of the new road turn right, then at the roundabout take he 3rd exit’.

This new exercise will last for no more than 10 minutes during the driving test and will asses a candidates ability to ‘read’ the road ahead and make correct decisions based on their understanding of road layouts and directions, which is exactly what they will need to do whilst driving on their own without supervision from a driving instructor.

Had a great example of the importance of looking where you are going whilst on a driving lesson last week.

My pupil pulled out left onto a main road and was immediately confronted with a pedestrian crossing that was just turning to red, we stopped safely and my attention immediately focused on the car behind, they just about stopped, much to my relief, unfortunately the next car behind them didn’t and went right into the back of them!

Getting out to see if there was an damage to my car, I could hear the conversation between the two unfortunate drivers that had collided, it was along the lines of

‘why did you stop?’

‘well the learner in front had stopped’

To which I came in with the fact that the light was on red, to be confronted with,

‘well it’s never been red before in all the years I’ve been coming out of this road’

I did explain the virtues of looking where you are going but it seemed to fall on deaf ears! 

My pupil then added that perhaps he should read the highway code!