New driving test unveiled

Learning to drive and the dreaded driving test are set for an overhaul.

Transport secretary Ruth Kelly is aiming to revamp the process of learning to drive with foundation courses in schools and colleges and extended and advanced tests, with the carrot of reduced car insurance premiums.

While deaths and serious injuries on UK roads have fallen 33 per cent the mid-1990s, the casualty rate for young drivers is unchanged.

"Every year more than 750,000 people pass their driving test," said Ms Kelly.

"But too many new drivers are involved in road accidents and are not properly prepared for driving alone."

"It is time for a new approach to learning to drive. We must make sure that novice drivers are safe drivers when they have passed their test. We must also create an expectation of lifelong learning, so that people continue advanced learning after their test."

A fifth of people have an accident within six months of passing their driving test and newly-qualified drivers and their passengers account for one in five of all car deaths in Britain.

The introduction of greater testing should also bring down the cost of car insurance.

Paul Baxter, director of partnerships at Tescocompare.com, said: "Introducing increased testing should mean cheaper premiums for all new drivers, as well as safer driving conditions on UK roads.

"The financial benefits of extra testing in terms of lowered insurance premiums are obvious. We expect premiums to drop across all insurance providers once the government's plans for compulsory additional testing are introduced."

TescoCompare estimates a novice female driver living in London with the current voluntary Pass Plus test passed can save up to £100 on her premium through certain insurance providers.

Under the new plans, a foundation driving course will be piloted in schools in Scotland from the autumn, learners will face a more focused and thorough learning process before the driving test.

Skills taught will not only look at vehicle control but also the wider skills needed to be a safe driver, from driving in difficult conditions (for example at night or in poor weather) to learning to predict and respond to other road users' intentions.
An improved driving test will also require the driver to demonstrate independent driving skills and clear understanding of different situations on the road.

Driving instructors will also be graded with a new star system.

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) has welcomed the government's plans to introduce new measures to cut the number of road injuries and deaths among young drivers.

Kevin Clinton, head of road safety at the society, said: "Everything possible has to be done to make new drivers safer and this eagerly awaited consultation is an important move in the right direction.

"We need young drivers to gain more experience while they are learning and so are happy with the idea of creating a culture of extended and advanced learning.

"Encouraging them to spend extra hours behind the wheel in a variety of driving situations would have major benefits. It is known that crash rates fall when this happens."

Currently two million people take the driving test a year. With a pass rate of 44 per cent, the average driver takes two tests before passing.

The average learner has 52 hours of lessons and spends £1,500 learning to drive.


Daniel Barnes

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