Over the last few weeks, there have been a number of new driving test changes introduced by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) in the UK.
This included the likes of reducing the number of stops candidates must make from four to three, and decreasing the frequency of emergency stops from one in three tests to one in seven.
But at the end of November, it was also announced that learner drivers are now required to spend longer on faster roads during tests, after a five-month trial was conducted at 20 test centres earlier this year.
Why are learner drivers required to spend longer on faster roads during UK driving tests?
The move came as the DVSA said it was making the change to better represent the conditions many motorists experience after passing their test, such as driving on rural roads.
Tips for Learning to Drive in the UK
Nearly half (48%) of crashes involving car drivers aged between 17 and 24 where someone was killed or seriously injured between 2019 and 2023 took place on rural roads, a House of Commons Library briefing document showed.
That is compared with 42% for drivers outside that age range.
Roads minister Simon Lightwood commented: “We’re doing all we can to make our roads safer.
“By focusing more tests on higher speed roads we’re tackling one of the biggest risks for young motorists, helping to reduce collisions and save lives.”
Meanwhile, Amanda Lane, DVSA head of driver testing and driver training policy, added: “High speed roads, particularly those in rural areas, are among the most treacherous for novice drivers.
In wet weather, you should:
-keep well back from the vehicle in front
- Ease off the accelerator and slow down gradually
- Be aware of the dangers of spilt diesel that will make the surface very slippery
- Take extra care around all road users#DrivingTips pic.twitter.com/ou2h8Mv0QP— Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency (@DVSAgovuk) December 18, 2025
“To keep all road users safe, it’s crucial that the practical driving test assesses learners on the skills required to drive in the real world.”
Driving test backlog not expected to end until November 2027, watchdog finds
Earlier this week, it was revealed that a target for reducing average driving test waiting times in the UK to seven weeks is not expected to be met for another two years, according to the public spending watchdog.
Nearly one in three learners are paying third parties up to £500 to book a test because of the large backlog, a National Audit Office (NAO) report said.
The DVSA has failed to appoint sufficient new examiners to enable it to increase test slots despite several recruitment drives, the inquiry found.
Factors that affect car insurance cost
A total of 1.1 million tests could not be carried out in the 2020/21 financial year because of coronavirus restrictions, and an estimated 360,000 of these have still not been booked.
The NAO said the DVSA has struggled to understand the real demand for tests because third parties quickly book available slots using automated programmes, known as bots.
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Learners faced an average waiting time for a test in Britain of 22 weeks in September, compared with about five weeks in February 2020 before the virus crisis.
The DVSA does not expect to meet its target of reducing the average waiting time to seven weeks until November 2027, the report said.
Its initial timeline for achieving this was by the end of this year.
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