DVSA Making Adjustments to the DrivingTest

DVSA launched a trial in April 2025 introducing a few subtle changes to the car driving test. The goal? To make the test experience more reflective of the current everyday conditions motorists face, and to better prepare learners for a lifetime of safe driving.

That trial has now reached its conclusion, and these changes will become permanent part of the driving test from 24 November 2025.

What DVSA did and Why

The trial, which took place at 20 driving test centres across Great Britain, focused on 3 key adjustments. These were:

Reducing the number of stops during the test from 4 to 3
Lowering the frequency of Emergency Stop Exercises from 1 in 3 tests to 1 in 7
Adding flexibility to the independent driving segment (this can be following a sat nav, traffic signs or both) to run for the full duration of the test

These changes were designed to improve the overall flow of the test and better reflect real-world driving conditions. By putting them into place and allowing for more meaningful route planning, examiners have been able to observe learner drivers in a more natural and realistic driving environment. That’s why DVSA is rolling out the changes to all driving test centres.

What success looks like: why these changes matter

For us, success for DVSA is about learner drivers passing their tests – and developing safer, more competent drivers.

Making the above adjustments will helped create test routes that venture into more high-speed and high-risk areas – where location allows – and will give learners the opportunity to face a broader range of driving scenarios. The extension of independent driving will give learners more time to demonstrate their ability to follow directions independently, just like they would after passing their test.

Also by reducing the number of stops and emergency stop exercises, the test will feel more like a genuine drive, helping learners stay focused and relaxed during what we know can, understandably, be a nerve-wracking experience.

Feedback and benefits

Feedback from examiners who have taken part in the trial has been overwhelmingly positive. Here’s what some of them had to say:

“The reduction in normal stops has allowed the test to flow more fluently.”

“The trial has helped us create routes that reach new areas.”

“Customers appear to be better prepared whilst using the sat nav.”

“The changes better reflect more realistic driving conditions.”

“At first, I thought the changes were a bit unnecessary, we already had routes covering high-speed and rural roads. But including those roads in all tests, instead of relying mainly on town driving, is a much better reflection of real-world conditions.”

How will this impact learners?

The simple answer is it won’t. For learners, the test will still cover all the essential skills needed to drive safely and independently. The adjustments will simply make the experience smoother and more reflective of real-world driving.

For examiners, the changes offer more flexibility in route planning and provide a better opportunity to assess learner drivers in varied conditions.

For the public, we hope the ultimate benefit is safer, more confident new drivers on the road.