The DVSA (Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency) has announced new plans for the driving test booking system in 2023.
The changes are being introduced to encourage learner drivers to be better prepared when they take their car driving test and to help tackle the huge backlog of bookings.
The DVSA have said that there is a huge demand for driving tests, partly due to the pandemic when tests were banned during lockdown and drivers were forced to wait months before getting the chance to lose their L-plates.
They’ve also attributed the waiting times to learner drivers booking their test too soon and then needing to rebook after failing the first time. According to the DVSA’s data from February 2023, around 53% of tests are failed, and examiners are having to physically intervene in more than 12% of tests for safety reasons.
So, what are the new rules?
Under the new rules, which will come into effect in the summer, learners will have to wait 28 days before rebooking their test rather than the current 10. This is to discourage those who fail from rebooking another test before they are ready – potentially blocking another learner from getting an appointment.
Another major change is increasing the cancellation notice period from 3 full working days to 10 full working days, meaning those who cancel last minute will not receive a refund. This comes after the DVSA found that around 6,500 tests a month were being wasted due to last-minute cancellations and missed appointments. However, drivers will still get a refund if they are ill or have an injury which prevents them from taking the test.
It is hoped that these measures will help to free up more test appointments and bring waiting times under control – with some centres in the UK currently fully booked up to 24 weeks in advance. The DVSA has said it is working to bring average waiting times down to nine weeks by the end of 2023.
The law will also be changed to allow instructors to do the eyesight check in any level of light and to use more methods of checking people’s eyesight.
Furthermore, if legislation passes, learner drivers will have better access to information about driving instructors and their students’ success rate – allowing them to make a more well-informed choice when picking their instructor.
Finally, people who pass their their theory or practical test will also be issued a digital pass certificate, rather than a paper one.
The announcement of the new rules follows a public consultation process which took place in 2022 and found that 37.1 percent of approved driving instructors who responded were in favour. What’s more, a third of learner drivers said the changes to test cancellations would encourage them to only book a test when they’re ready.
The government hasn’t yet confirmed a specific time for the new rules, but learner drivers and driving instructors will be notified of the complete set of changes when the date has been finalised this summer.
Any other changes?
Earlier this year, it was announced that driving examiners will wear body cameras during driving tests due to an increase in unacceptable violent and abusive incidents against driving examiners in recent months.
The cameras are now an essential part of uniform for the safety of examiners, but will only be switched on if they feel threatened or to capture inappropriate behaviour. Any abuse directed at DVSA staff could result in tests being cancelled or even prosecution, and the footage could potentially be used to prosecute offenders if abuse occurs.
Find out more on the DVSA website.
