It could all mean a very good thing for learners

Ah, the dreaded driving test. After weeks (or months, or even years) of those nightmarish driving lessons, it all comes down to that one day with a usually grumpy-seeming examiner.

But the wait to get to that one day isn’t always particularly short in the UK.

Some learner drivers are raring and ready to go for months before they even get chance to get onto the car seat for their test.

However, the whole test process could hopefully be improving to an extent as the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has a whole list of changes coming for learner drivers in 2025.

Wait times might make you a learner for longer. (Getty Stock)

Why the DVSA are making these changes

The DVSA revealed its plans earlier this week to try and cut down the mega amount of learner drivers waiting months for their driving test.

This includes a ‘seven-point plan’, which recognises that the government needs ‘to take action to fix the driving test booking system and get new drivers on the road’.

Minister for the Future of Roads, Lilian Greenwood, said: “Passing your driving test is a life changing opportunity for millions – but sky-high waiting times for tests in recent years have denied that opportunity to too many people.”

She explained the scale of the backlog that’s been inherited is ‘huge’, but these new measures are a ‘crucial step’ to: “Tackle the long driving test wait times, protect learner drivers from being exploited, and support more people to hit the road.”

The aim is that the following changes will reduce the waiting time to seven weeks by December 2025.

People are waiting months for their test. (Getty Stock)

Recruit and train 450 driving examiners

DVSA will recruit and train 450 new driving examiners across Great Britain.

These were advertised on the Civil Service jobs site back in June and July, and in a second phase in September and October this year.

Review and improve the rules for booking driving tests

Taking ‘time to complete’, the DVSA are going to make sure learners can book their test ‘easily and efficiently’.

To do so, the DVSA will:

1. Launch a call for evidence about the current rules and processes, which DVSA did on Wednesday (18 December).
2. Analyse the evidence and develop proposals to improve the rules and booking system.
3. Run a consultation on the proposed improved rules.
4. Introduce the improved rules – changing the law if necessary.

Introduce tougher terms and conditions

These new terms and conditions will come into force on 6 January and set out that only driving instructors or businesses that employ driving instructors can use the service to book car driving tests.

If anyone breaks the terms and conditions, DVSA can:

• Issue them with a warning notice
• Suspend their account
• Close their account

The aim is to get the wait down to a matter of weeks. (Getty Stock)

Consult on new proposals to increase the amount of time people have to wait to book another test

Learners currently have to wait 10 working days before being able to book a new test and the consultation will set out the full details of the potential options to change this.

Increase the amount of notice you need to give to change or cancel a car driving test without losing the fee

It’s currently set at three working days but DVSA are going to increase this to 10 clear working days from spring 2025.

This change will:

• Encourage people to change or cancel their test sooner if they’re not ready
• Give more chance for appointments to be used by someone else

Explore changing the current 24-week limit on how far ahead car driving tests can be booked

Currently set at 24 weeks, the DVSA are going to explore how it can change the limit on how far ahead you can book your test.

This could help make it better understood how many people want to take a test at each centre.

Encourage learner drivers to be better prepared for their driving test through the ‘Ready to Pass?’ campaign

Rated as useful by 95 percent of users, the campaign encourages those not ready to pass to move their test back.Featured Image Credit: Getty Stock

Topics: Driving, UK News, Cars

Jess Battison

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Updated 09:39 11 Dec 2024 GMTPublished 20:45 10 Dec 2024 GMT

‘B plates launched in UK’ for drivers who are bad at one thing

Alternatively, you could just try to get better at driving

Joe Harker

UK drivers who think their command of a car isn’t up to snuff in one specific situation might be able to get their hands a set of ‘B plates’ to warn other motorists about their naff navigation skills.

Anyone who has been out and about on the roads will know how to spot and dread certain plates stuck to the back of cars.

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Everyone knows that a big red ‘L’ plate means ‘learner’ and you should give them plenty of time and space on the roads as they do their best to get through the ordeal every driver must overcome.

Some who have recently passed will adorn their vehicle with green ‘P’ plates which means ‘probationary’, a sign that the driver has their licence and managed to pass their test but is still relatively inexperienced, so your understanding is appreciated.

Of course, there are plenty of motorists on Britain’s roads who have neither of these plates and leave their fellow drivers baffled as to how they managed to pass their test in the first place.

For those drivers, a car scrap company has come up with something they probably don’t want to have on their car, a set of ‘B plates’.

According to Scrap Car Comparison, plenty of UK drivers feel like there’s one part of their motor skills which could still do with some work even after they’ve passed their test, their parking skills.

Brits who worry about parking are most scared of having to parallel park (Scrap Car Comparison)

Apparently 48 percent of drivers think they could stand to work on their ability to park a car, with parallel parking the most daunting of these tasks followed by reverse bay parking.

As much as you might worry about backing into a tight space in the supermarket car park, you’re going to have to know how to do it eventually, you can’t always hope you can drive cleanly into a waiting space.

This is why the company has launched their B plate, which is supposed to warn other motorists of ‘bad parking’ from the person behind the wheel.

This is their creation, not a new introduction from the Department for Transport, so you don’t gain any official status from the plates, they just broadcast that you don’t think you’re good at parking.

The plates are merely a little something you can apply for via a form on the website. They aren’t actually available for general purchase and hold no ‘legal’ implications.

With Christmas coming up you might want to get it for someone else as a joke, just slap it on the back of their car and see how long it takes for them to notice something’s up.

BMW drivers are most likely to say they could do with some more help parking, which is surprising. (Scrap Car Comparison)

Parking confidence varies wildly between drivers of various brands, with BMW drivers being the most likely to think they could do with a bit of help at 68 percent, which would demonstrate a startling level of self-awareness given their reputation.

Drivers of other German brands Audi (64 percent) and Mercedes (63 percent) rounded out the top three when it came to parking worries. About a quarter of drivers think they just weren’t taught enough about parking during their driving lessons.

According to the Daily Mail, some road safety groups aren’t big fans of the B plate and think motorists who are really that worried should just seek extra instruction instead of slapping a plate on their car.

Even after you’ve passed your test there are other courses and refresher lessons you can do which can help tune up your skills or teach you about an aspect of driving you might not have been taught much about during your lessons.

Maybe you should just book a refresher driving lesson and tell them you want to spend more time on parking?Featured Image Credit: Scrap Car Comparison

Topics: UK News, Driving, Cars

Joe Harker

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Published 11:00 10 Dec 2024 GMT

Full list of motors facing £2,745 car tax increase next year

The New Year will bring in a new bill for your car

Britt Jones

As we’re creeping on up to the New Year (eek), it’s time to re-evaluate your car choices as you’ll be faced with a hefty bill.

Even though we’re all deep in the throes of having to pay out more and more thanks to the cost-of-living in the UK, there’s now another wad of cash that’s going to be taken out of your account.

Drivers are going to see a rise in the amount they have to pay, which will increase their yearly bill to £2,745.

It’s all to do with the Government’s plans to become a more eco-conscious nation as the Autumn Budget was revised to make driver cough up more money.

59 cars will be affected by the new tax bill (Getty Stock Images)

Why are prices going up?

This comes as the gov plans for new electric vehicle incentives, meaning that any of these 59 cars that emit over 255b/km of CO2 will be getting an increased bill slapped on them.

It’ll include a new car tax bill and an increase in Vehicle Excise Duty (VED).

The list is extensive, and covers everything from VW, Mercedes, Land Rover, to BMWs and Audi models.

Any vehicle emitting over 255g/km of CO2 will now have to pay £5,490 during their first year on the road from April 2025, which is a pretty steep incline from the former £2,745 charge.

The government is doubling first-year road tax rates across all higher CO2 bands to raise £400m for the Treasury next year as well as £1.7bn by the end of the decade, as per BirminghamLive.

According to the Budget documents from the Labour Party government: “To help drive the transition to electric vehicles (EVs) the government is strengthening incentives to purchase EVs by widening the differentials in Vehicle Excise Duty First Year Rates between EVs and hybrids or internal combustion engine cars.

“The government is also maintaining EV incentives in the Company Car Tax regime and extending 100% First Year Allowances for zero emission cars and EV chargepoints for a further year.”

Labour stated it plans on ‘maintaining tax incentives to purchase electric cars through Vehicle Excise Duty First Year Rates and the Company Car Tax regimes, as well as by extending 100% First Year Allowances for electric cars and chargepoints for a further year.’

You’ll be paying out additional money in light of the Government’s eco agenda (Getty Stock Images)

Which cars will be affected?

Alfa Romeo Stelvio 2.9 V6 Bi-Turbo

Audi R8 5.2 FSI V10

Audi RS6 4.0 TFSI V8

Audi RS7 4.0 TFSI V8

Audi RSQ8 4.0 TFSI V8

Audi S8 4.0 TFSI V8

Audi SQ7 4.0 TFSI V8

Audi SQ8 4.0 TFSI V8

Aston Martin DB12 4.0 V8

Aston Martin DBX 4.0 V8

Aston Martin Vantage 4.0 V8

Bentley Bentayga 4.0 V8

Bentley Continental 4.0 V8

Bentley Continental 6.0 W12

Bentley Flying Spur 4.0 V8

BMW Alpina XB7 4.4 V8

BMW M8 4.4 V8

BMW X5 M 4.4 V8

BMW X6 M 4.4 V8

BMW X7 M 4.4 V8

Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 6.2 V8

Ferrari Purosangue 6.5 V12

Ferrari Roma 3.8T V8

Ford Mustang 5.0 V8

Ford Ranger 2.0 TD EcoBlue

Ford Ranger 3.0 EcoBlue

Ford Ranger 3.0 V6

INEOS Grenadier 3.0P

Jaguar F-Pace 5.0 P575 V8

Jeep Wrangler 2.0 GME

Lamborghini Huracan 5.2 V10

Lamborghini Urus 4.0 V8 BiTurbo

Lamborghini Revuelto 6.5 V12

Land Rover Defender 90 5.0 P425 V8

Land Rover Defender 110 5.0 P425 V8

These cars will cost you more to drive (Getty Stock Images)

Lotus Emira 3.5 V6

Maserati Levante 3.0 V6

Maserati Levante 3.8 V8

Maserati MC20 3.0 V6

McLaren GT 4.0T V8

Mercedes-Benz AMG GT 4.0 V8

Mercedes-Benz G400D

Mercedes-Benz G63

Mercedes-Benz GLC63

Mercedes-Benz GLE63

Mercedes-Benz GLS63h

Mercedes-Benz SL55

Porsche 718 Cayman 4.0 GT4

Porsche 911 3.7T 992 Turbo

Porsche Cayenne 4.0T V8

Porsche Macan 2.9T V6

Range Rover 4.4 P530 V8

Range Rover 4.4 P615 V8

Range Rover Sport 4.4P V8

Rolls-Royce Cullinan 6.75 V12

Rolls-Royce Ghost 6.75 V12

Toyota Hilux 2.8D

Toyota Land Cruiser 2.8D

Volkswagen Amarok 3.0 TDI

We told you the list was extensive…Featured Image Credit: Getty Stock Images

Topics: Cars, Money, UK News, Politics

Britt Jones

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Published 15:38 4 Jul 2024 GMT+1

Changes to DVLA eyesight rule that could lead to drivers losing their licence

It’s up to drivers to literally look out for this

Jess Battison

Changes to a DVLA eyesight rule could end up leading to drivers losing their licence.

I mean, it’s pretty basic that someone needs to be able to see to be able to drive.

And while Brits might not all be happy with the new speed limit law that will ‘change how we drive’, even that’s not relevant if your visions not up to scratch.

Depending on how much of the day you’ve blocked out to forget the stress, you might remember having your eyesight checked during your driving test.

You know, when the examiner asks you to read out a car number plate from 65 feet away.

But since that dreaded day, it’s been your own responsibility to keep up with your eye health and report any problems to the DVLA.

Legally, of course, you shouldn’t be getting behind the wheel if you’re worried your eyesight isn’t up to scratch.

You shouldn’t be getting behind the wheel if your sight isn’t up to scratch. (Getty Stock)

And things are getting a little tighter. According to Auto Express, the DVLA is placing more emphasis on visual acuity and field of vision – as well as distance.

So, if you’re a glasses or contact lenses wearer, when it comes to the whole reading a number plate from 65ft thing, you should be wearing them for that test.

Plus, drivers have to make sure they score at least 6/12 (or 0.5) for their visual acuity measurement on the Snellen scale.

Yeah, I know, this sounds like a made up phrase but it’s just the name for that chart with the rows of numbers and letters that opticians use.

It measures visual acuity – essentially, the way you pick out details.

Then, the field of vision thing is quite literally all about the area you can see with your eyes remaining still.

It’s up to you to report any issues. (Getty Stock)

The DVLA’s minimum requirement is that you can see 120 degrees horizontally and 20 degrees vertically.

If you’re blind in one eye, then the other eye must have perfect field of vision.

And in case you’ve not noticed, no one from the DVLA or driving test centre will have been following up with you since asking that you read out another car number plate.

So, it totally falls on you to report any eyesight issues and therefore not drive if you think your sight was worsened.

If you do think this is the case, then go have your eyes tested and looked at before driving. If you fail to tell the DVLA, then you could end up facing a £1k fine, being prosecuted or having you license taken off you if you end up in an accident.Featured Image Credit: Getty Stock Images

Topics: Cars, Driving, Health, UK News

Jess Battison

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Updated 10:01 7 May 2024 GMT+1Published 13:27 6 May 2024 GMT+1

Only Brits in the top 10% of drivers can correctly answer these five theory questions

Four out of five means you pass, but only the best know every answer

Joe Harker

Before you’re licensed to be behind the wheel of a lump of brick and wheels powered by exploding gloop millions of years old, you need to pass some tests.

Of course everyone knows and dreads the big old driving test, and lots of people who pass it might be surprised at how they’d struggle with it these days.

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Then there’s your theory test, as you demonstrate you actually know the rules of the road and can also perceive potential hazards as you drive along.

You’ll get 50 questions to answer and you have to get at least 43 correct, meaning this is a test with a passing grade of 86 percent.

Just as you might struggle to pass your driving test if you had to take it again, are you really confident about being able to ace the theory test if you had to retake it?

You’ve got to pass a couple of tests before you get to drive one of these. (Getty Stock Image)

According to Independent Advisor Car Insurance, 88 percent of UK drivers couldn’t answer five pretty basic questions about how the rules of the road go.

It has rustled up a bit of a quiz to test drivers, but if you can go five out of five then you’re in the top set of drivers who actually know their stuff.

Not to toot my own horn or anything but I got four of these right just off the top of my head and it’s been eight years since I passed my theory test with flying colours.

If you want to do better than me and 88 percent of other people in the UK you’ll need to go five for five.

Granted, I’d have to take it again these days as I never actually ended up doing my driving test afterwards and a pass on your theory test has an expiry date, so it’s worth dipping one’s toes back into the pool of highway code knowledge.

Anyhow, the answers will be provided below so no cheating by scrolling down.

Here’s the five questions you’d need to answer:

1. What, if anything, do you think triangular road signs indicate?
2. What lights, if any, do you think are appropriate to turn on when driving on the motorway at night, when there are cars ahead of you?
3. What, if anything, do you think the legal speed limit on a motorway is, if no signs indicate otherwise?
4. When driving on a wet road, what time gap, if any, do you think you need to leave between your car and the car in front of you? (Answers in seconds, please).
5. What, if anything, do you think you should do if you have to quickly slow down when driving on the motorway?

“We got you the car, but until you actually pass your test all you can do is sit in it making brum-brum noises.” (Getty Stock Image)

Some of those questions seem pretty easy, others are trickier as you might think you have the answer but it could be something else.

In this case getting four out of five would be a pass, but you really want to go for full marks and show you still remember driving theory even if you don’t have a copy of the highway code to hand.

Here’s your answers:

1. Warnings
2. Dipped headlights
3. 61mph to 70mph
4. 4-5 seconds
5. Turn on your hazard lights

About 21 percent of people didn’t know that triangle road signs meant warnings, and a similar proportion thought you should have your headlights on full beam when driving at night with cars ahead of you.

Here’s hoping you did better.