From December 2017, the driving test is going to change in four major ways. At Wimbledon Driving School we believe in helping you be prepared, so if you have your test booked on or after the 4th December, here’s what you can expect:
Double the amount of independent driving
Instead of ten minutes, this section of the test doubles to twenty minutes of independent driving. That means that for roughly half your driving test you’ll be demonstrating your skills without instructions from the examiner.
Driving with a satellite navigation system
During one in five tests, you’ll be expected to drive independently following directions from a sat nav during the independent driving section of your test. The driver will set up a route on a specific type of sat nav, but it doesn’t matter what make and model you practice with; the important thing is that you get used to using one for your independent driving.
You can ask your examiner where you’re going, and it won’t matter if you go the wrong way, but any faults you commit will count against you. If you’re not asked to follow directions using a sat nave, you’ll drive following the road signs as happens in the current test.
Different manoeuvres
There are three new manoeuvres in the new test, and you’ll be asked to perform one of the following:
- Parallel parking
- Parking in a parking bay – drive in/reverse out or reverse in/drive out
- Pull up, reverse for a distance of two car lengths and then move back into the traffic
Although you won’t be asked to reverse round a corner or turn in the road, you’ll still need to practice those skills as they’re simply being tested in a different way and will be useful once you’ve passed your test.
Answer a question when driving
You’ll still be expected to answer one question where you’ll tell the examiner how you’d perform a safety check and one where you’ll show them what you would do. The difference? Now, you’ll show the examiner when actually driving – so, if the examiner asks you how you keep the windscreen clean, you’ll demonstrate using the windscreen wipers.
At Wimbledon Driving School, we can help you prepare for all the changes in the new test, so contact us today for more details.
