Driving Tests From 6th April 2010 - Do You Want Your Instructor To Sit In On Your Test?

From 6th April 2010, the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) will be "encouraging" driving test candidates to take an observer along in the back of the car while their test takes place.

This idea is nothing new. At present you are allowed to take someone with you on your driving test if you wish. Anyone over 16 years old is allowed to accompany a driving test candidate, but they cannot take any part in the test - they have to sit still, are not allowed to speak, or distract either you or the examiner in any way.

The difference is that at present it is your responsibility to tell the examiner that you would like someone to accompany you before the test commences, whereas from 6th April 2010, the examiner will be asking you if you'd like someone with you.

The DSA have stated:

"By having the observer present on the test, they'll be in the position to identify future development needs for a subsequent test or additional skills to build on after passing the test."

(source:DirectGov - Driving Tests - bring your instructor along)

To help you decide whether you want someone else sitting in the back of the car during your driving test, let's look at the advantages and disadvantages of taking an observer along!
 
Advantages

• The observer can see any mistakes you make whilst on test and identify aspects of your driving that many need remedial action whether you pass or fail
• Having a familiar person in the car with you may help you to relax

Disadvantages

• You may find it off-putting and feel more nervous by having someone other than the examiner watching you
• Most driving school cars are "on the small side" and having someone sitting in the back may feel cramped
• Visibility may be obscured
• Extra people in the car means that it may handle slightly differently than you are used to
• Many driving instructors are accustomed to sitting in the back of the car during tests and are used to sitting completely still and silent, but if you've learnt to drive with a friend or relative, they may not find this easy - which may lead to criticism from the examiner
• Driving examiners are routinely monitored by their bosses at regular intervals to make sure that they are doing their jobs properly. When this happens an observer from the DSA will sit in the back to watch what the examiner is doing. If you want your observer along too, there could be four people in the car!

It's your decision - it's best to talk it through with your instructor before your driving test and decide what you want to do!

Online Driving Test Booking Scams - Be VERY Careful When Booking Your Theory Test or Driving Test Online

It's easy to book a practical driving test or theory test online. You can do it through the DirectGov website at DirectGov - Book your theory and practical tests online. There is no extra fee for booking if you do it through "official channels" - all it will cost you is the appropriate test fee (Theory Tests £31.00 and Practical Tests £62.00).

Now that's all well and good if you know the website address for the offical DSA online test booking service - but what if you don't?

Most people will type something along the lines of "book driving test online" into Google or another search engine and click whatever link comes up first. That's the problem.

Over the past few months several "enterprising" website owners have cottoned on to the fact that they can set up a "test booking website" and make themselves a whole lot of money by booking theory and driving tests for other people and charging a big fat "booking fee" on top of the DSA test fee.

I've heard of so called "booking fees" of well over £20.00 charged for doing something that anyone with internet access can do for themselves in a matter of minutes.

I've mentioned this subject before, but the situation has now become so serious that even the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) have finally sat up and taken some notice and have announced that they are "investigating" several 3rd party test booking services.

Don't line someone else's pockets, book your test yourself - all you need is your driver number (from your driving licence), a credit or debit card (someone else can pay using their card if you don't have a card of your own) and your Theory Test pass number (if you're booking your Practical Test)...and use ONLY the official DSA online test booking service at:
DirectGov - Book your theory and practical tests online

Where's The "Easiest" Place To Take My Driving Test?

You know what piddles me off with the driving test?

It's a standard test conducted in non-standard places.

I had a girl ring me up last week who'd failed her test a few times in London. She was looking for places she could get to on the train to come out of London and take her test...she wanted to know whether taking her test in Slough would be easier for her to pass...

The answer should be "No"...but it isn't.

The Driving Standards Agency don't release these figures very often but from the last published figures they gave out (April 2003 to March 2004), the national pass rate is 42.8% (that's a figure based on the total number of tests taken at every test centre in the UK)...BUT, when you look at the figures for individual test centres, it's massively variable e.g;

Slough 46%
Salen (Isle of Mull) 55.6%
Glasgow (Shettleston) 32.2%
Inveraray 80.0 %
Aberfedy 64.8%
Leeds 27.9%
Norwood South 29.5%
Pwllheli 60.8%
Reading 39.4%
Wood Green Lords 25.6%
Hayes 40.1%

(source: http://www.2pass.co.uk/passrates.htm)

Does that mean that learner drivers in Inveraray and Aberfedy are miles better than those in Wood Green or Glasgow?

If you look at the stats, yes...but of course it's the fact that traffic conditions in Inveraray and Aberfedy are markedly different than the roads of Wood Green or Glasgow...

The system allows a person who passes their test in a rural area where the most taxing situation they meet is Farmer McGiles blocking the road with his sheep to then be fully licenced to head off to Glasgow or London or anywhere else, even though they've probably never driven round a one-way system or complex roundabout etc...

Barmy...

I told the young lady that...she's probably on her way to Inveraray as I type this...

DSA Overcharge 270,000 Driving Test Candidates Since November 2005

In a press release issued on 18 June 2008, the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) have stated that due to "an error in regulations" dating back to November 2005, approximately 270,000 driving test candidates who booked their driving tests to take place on a SATURDAY were overcharged.

The DSA state that they will be writing to all those affected to apologise and to offer a refund, but that anyone wanting further information in the meantime can ring them on 0191 201 4098 and talk to an advisor.

The press release reads as follows;

"DSA Press release - SATURDAY DRIVING TESTS
SATURDAY DRIVING TESTS

The Driving Standards Agency is writing to learner driver candidates who have booked practical tests on a Saturday since November 2005, to offer a refund for overpayment of fees caused by accidental overcharging and to apologise for the error.

We are taking this action because of an error in regulations made on 1 November 2005 which had the unintended consequence of removing the differential between normal weekday hours and Saturday charges for taking a test.

The refund offered is the premium paid for a Saturday test, currently £10.50 for a car test.An amending regulation has now been laid in Parliament to reinstate in law the intended differential in fees. The Agency is obliged to recover administrative costs through fees, including the extra costs of Saturday operation, for example in overtime. Tests booked from 7 July onwards will be charged at the intended Saturday rate of £67.00.

The Driving Standards Agency apologises for the error and is contacting all those affected, but customers can speak direct to the Agency’s advisers by calling (0191) 201 4098 if they want information in the meantime. DSA believes around 270,000 candidates will be affected."

Source: DSA Press Release - Saturday Driving Tests

Increase in Practical Test "Vehicle Safety Questions" (Show-Me-Tell-Me) from 01 July 2008

From 01 July 2008, six additional "Show-Me-Tell-Me" questions will be introduced to the Practical Driving Test.
The 13 current questions remain and test candidates will still only be asked 2 out of the 19 questions.















The additional questions are as follows;


"Show me how you would clean the windscreen using the windscreen washer and wipers

Show me how you would set the demister controls to clear all the windows effectively, this should include both front and rear screens

Show me how you would switch on the rear fog light(s) and explain when you would use it/them. (No need to exit vehicle)

Tell me how you make sure your head restraint is correctly adjusted so it provides the best protection in the event of a crash

Show me how you switch your headlight from dipped to main beam and explain how you would know the main beam is on whilst inside the car

Tell me how you would know if there was a problem with your anti lock braking system"


Full details of the existing and additional Vehicle Safety Questions can be found at the Driving Standards Agency website as follows;

Vehicle Safety Questions

Driving Test Fees Increasing AGAIN

The DSA Business Plan 2008/2009 has outlined proposals to increase the Practical driving test fee for cars to £64.00 (daytimes)/£76.00 (evenings & weekends) in 2009.

See my previous blog entries for my thoughts on the massive price hikes in the cost of driving tests since 2007 already...

I cannot comment further at this stage...for once in my life, words completely fail me :(

Increase in cost of UK provisional driving licence and theory and practical driving test fees

On 01 April 2008 in what appears to be a rather unfunny April Fool's Day joke, the cost of a provisional driving licence and the fees for both the Theory and Practical tests increased.


The cost of a provisional driving licence is now £50.00. This time last year it was £38.00. It went up to £45.00 in May 2007. An increase of 31.5% in a year.


The Theory Test fee is now £30.00. This time last year it was £21.50. It increased to £28.50 in September 2007. An increase of 39.5% in a year.


The Practical Test fee for cars is now £56.50 (daytimes) / £67.00 (evenings & weekends). Prior to 01 April it was £48.50 (daytimes) / £58.00 (evenings & weekends). An increase of 16.5%/15.5% in a year.


Massive increases...well above the rate of inflation (around 2.5%), but the customer has no alternative but to pay if they want to drive legally.


Value for money?


Has the service improved?


How are increases of this size justified?


Beats me...