Driving test changes don’t do enough to tackle dangerous habits, say motorists

A THIRD of motorists do not believe upcoming changes to the driving test go far enough to tackle dangerous habits.

From December 4 the test will include following instructions from a satnav, a period of independent driving doubled to 20 minutes and a refreshed selection of manoeuvres deemed more realistic, such as parallel parking rather than reversing around a corner.

It is the most significant shakeup of the test since the written theory exam was introduced in 1996.

When the measures were announced by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) in April, the Government said they would help save lives by improving standards.

But a survey of 2,000 UK drivers for insurance comparison firm Confused.com found that 33 per cent do not think they will sufficiently increase road safety.

Almost three out of four (73 per cent) want a motorway section to be added to the test, while twothirds (66 per cent) are in favour of making learners drive at night.

Some 80 per cent of respondents believe driving etiquette should be taught in a bid to reduce middle-lane hogging, tailgating and vehicles cutting in at the last moment.

Confused.com motoring editor Amanda Stretton said: “To make the roads safer, drivers believe more practical changes should have been included in the new updates set to be implemented in December.

“To help improve the quality of driving on our roads, there is a valid argument that new drivers should be taught general road etiquette and how to treat fellow drivers.”

Driving instructor Simon Carne also warned that some of the changes “aren’t going to make people safer”. He described one of the new manoeuvres – pulling up on the right hand side of the road, reversing for two car lengths and then rejoining traffic – as “unnecessarily dangerous” due to oncoming vehicles.