Sat-Nav, reverse parking part of UK driving test

A new-style, UK driving test that includes following a direction on a sat-nav has been on a trail in 20 location across the UK since April 2016.

The changes, part of biggest shakeup of the driving test since the theory exam were introduced in 1996, and will replace traditional test manoeuvres such as reversing around a corner with “real-life” procedures. These were tested under a £2m project by the Department of Transport examining whether the current regime give the best training for learner drivers. Over 1.6m driving tests are taken in the UK every year and 3 per cent of reported accidents had been the contributory factors of learner driver inexperience.

Grant Ferguson (17), took his test at Bishopbriggs driving centre in East Dunbartonshire, Scotland and has become one of the first people to pass a new style-UK driving test.

Among other more standard manoeuvres, he had to follow a route on a sat-nav for 20 minutes. The changes are designed to “better reflect real driving, and any future changes to the test would be subject to full public consultation”, a spokesman for the DVSA said. Other changes being tested include replacing reversing round a corner with reversing out of a parking space, pulling up on the right before rejoining the flow of traffic, requiring candidates to demonstrate how they would operate the rear heated screen or other vehicle safety features while driving.

The DVSA hopes to complete 1000 new test, and so far around 20 people have taken the new test.

Driving instructor Drew Nicol, who taught Mr Ferguson, said “ Lots of people have criticised the idea of using sat-navs but people are going to use them when they drive so it makes sense that we teach them to use them properly, as I teach learner drivers to listen to sat-nav rather than look at it or glance at it only when it is safe to do so.”.