Posts Tagged ‘Theory test’

Important note for Practical Driving Tests!

Sunday, November 15th, 2009

Latics has been alerted to a temporary software compatibility problem between the administrators of the driving theory test, Pearson Vue, and the DSA.

This is resulting in the need for all provisional test candidates to take their theory test pass certificate information with them to the driving test centre for the examiner’s inspection before conducting the practical test.

Driving tests have been refused and cancelled as a result of a candidate not having these documents for inspection, despite the request to do so in the practical test application literature.  For full details on what you need to take with you to the test centre, click here. This video gives you full information on the practical driving test:

Please ensure you take the correct documentation with you! ;)

Theory Test Changes – September 2009

Wednesday, September 2nd, 2009

theory-test-changesFrom 28th September 2009, case-study style questions will be introduced into the Driving Theory Test for learner drivers and riders.

The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) have introduced this change as one of the early initiatives following the results of their Learning to Drive Consultation, published earlier this year (see this blog entry for a summary of the consultation).

The Theory Test will remain in its present two-part format, with 50 multiple choice questions followed by the Hazard Perception Test.

The time permitted, the pass marks and the cost of the theory test remain unchanged.

The case study element will be included in the multiple choice part of the theory test, and it will ask five questions, some of which will be multiple choice, others multiple response, based around a single scenario that learner drivers and riders may encounter when driving on the road.

An example of one of the case study questions can be found here.

The main purpose of the case study questions is to help bring the theoretical element to life for novice drivers and riders.

As part of the same initiative, the DSA are aiming to introduce an abridged version of the theory test in October 2009.  Those eligible to take this test must have successfully completed the voluntary ‘Pre-Driver Qualification in Safe Road use’, which was introduced in January 2009 by the DSA and currently available in 10 locations across England and Scotland.

The consultation for the adbridged Theory Test ended on 20th July (read the full consultation document here), but the results are yet to be announced.  Make sure you visit the Latics Driver Training Blog regularly for updates, or better still, why not subscribe for instant email notification?  Just enter your email address on the blog homepage and hit ‘subscribe’.

Learning to Drive Consultation… The Results!

Tuesday, April 21st, 2009

DSA Learning to Drive Consultation

Results of the DSA Learning to Drive Consultation

On 7th May 2008, the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) issued a Consultation Paper setting out wide-ranged proposals intended to make Britain’s roads safer by getting newly qualified drivers to cope with the challenges of driving unsupervised in today’s modern driving conditions. The Government’s preferred approach to achieving this is through education and incentives, encouraging young people to participate in more effective and efficient learning.

The four key elements of the proposed programme were:

  • An improved learning process
  • Improved driving tests
  • Better information about driving instructors and improved driving instructor training
  • Further options for qualifications and learning

Today (21st April 2009), the DSA published its report on this consultation. Having read the document this evening, I have listed the main changes that will happen, changes that may happen and proposals that have been rejected or indefinitely postponed.

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