Every new driver in the UK has to take two tests before being awarded their license. The practical test assesses their ability to control the car safely and react to potential hazards in the road.
It also tests their ability to perform certain manoeuvers. But before you can take your practical test, you first need to pass a theory test, and the way that the test is administered is set to change on the 14th April 2020.
The theory test is designed to assess your knowledge of the highway code, including things like road signs and lane changes. It also tests your ability to make decisions about potential hazards that may come up when driving.
This test ensures that you are prepared for all situations, even those that you do not experience during your practical driving test.
However, there are some issues with the test where accessibility is concerned. The current test has students read a case study and then answer five simple questions about it, to gauge whether they know what the appropriate action to take in that situation is.
But even though there is support available, this test can be incredibly difficult for people that have learning disabilities, developmental conditions like autism, and reading difficulties like dyslexia. The test is unfairly weighted against these students and their pass rates are affected as a result.
But now, the DVLA is bringing about change to make the test more inclusive and remove those barriers. Instead of reading a case study, students will instead watch a video and then answer three questions about the content.
The questions will be multiple choice and students will be allowed to watch the video as many times as they like during this part of the test.
The new test is designed to help people that struggle with reading and retaining information, so it is only their knowledge of driving that is tested, not their ability to process and recall information.
The DVLA hopes that this will make the test fairer for everybody and increase the pass rate for people with disadvantages.
However, some people will need to adapt to this change. For example, if you are a driving instructor, you will need to adapt your lessons to account for this change in the test. It is likely that the instructor training courses will also need to be altered to give driving instructors more guidance.
It is possible that there may be difficulties during this transition period and pass rates could be affected.
This is just one of the many changes that the automotive industry is experiencing right now. New car sales are dropping, and the increase in driverless cars is raising a lot of questions about whether we will need driving tests at all in the future.
At the moment, there are no plans to change the practical test, but that may change in the next few years as the way that we drive and own cars continues to change.
The new test comes into effect on the 14th April 2020 and anybody taking their theory test after that date will be subject to the changes.
