Millions of learner drivers are being warned about a major change coming into force today, with new testing rules expected to affect around 3.7 million people, which was the number of driving tests taken in Great Britain between March 2022 and March 2023. The update applies to anyone taking a driving test and is designed to give learners more experience on the roads they are most likely to use after passing.
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has confirmed that tests will now include more time on higher-speed roads. The aim is to reflect real-life driving conditions and help new motorists feel more confident once they start driving independently. The change was approved after a five-month trial at 20 test centres earlier this year.
During the trial, examiners took learners onto more rural and high-speed routes, and the results showed clear benefits.
The DVSA found that the number of stops during a test fell from four to three, and emergency stops became far less common, dropping from one in three tests to just one in seven.
Edmund King OBE, the director of the AA Charitable Trust, said young drivers urgently need this kind of training because rural routes can be so dangerous.
He added: “Rural roads pose a particular danger to young and novice drivers. Our own research has shown young drivers are over-represented in crashes on rural roads, compared to other roads.”
He said increasing the time spent on these roads during the test is an important step to “help reduce this disparity and keep young, novice drivers safe”.
The DVSA says the adjustments will not change the skills learners are required to show during the exam, but will allow examiners to extend the independent driving section to anywhere from 20 minutes up to the full length of the test.
Amanda Lane, the head of driver testing and driver training policy at the DVSA, said many young drivers struggle most when they encounter high-speed roads, especially outside built-up areas.
She described the new approach as “subtle but meaningful”, adding that it will help prepare learners for a “lifetime of safe driving”.
The changes have received widespread support from both examiners and training organisations.
Almost nine in 10 driving examiners said they wanted the update to become permanent after taking part in the trial, GB News reported.
The National Associations Strategic Partnership (NASP) also backed the move, saying it improves safety, raises driver competency and helps reduce collisions.
Driving instructors have welcomed the update too. Dan Leverton, academy director at Bill Plant Driving School, said: “Rural roads in particular are a perfect storm of higher speeds, twists and turns, slow-moving vehicles, pedestrians, and ‘unexpected’ hazards.
“Driving instructors play a key role in preparing pupils for a lifetime of safe driving and will embrace these changes to the driving test which ultimately will reduce casualties and save lives.”
Jon Sutcliffe, COO at RED Driver Training, called the update a “progressive step” for road safety.
He said: “By increasing the time learner drivers spend on higher speed and rural roads, these changes ensure that new motorists gain valuable real-world experience in some of the most challenging driving environments.”
There were approximately 3.7million learner drivers in the UK in 2024.
