Back in April 2025, we launched a trial introducing a few subtle but meaningful 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.
Now that the trial has reached its conclusion, I’m really pleased to share that it’s been a success and we’re now making these changes a permanent part of the driving test from 24 November 2025.
The story so far: what we 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 we’re rolling out the changes to all driving test centres.
What success looks like: why these changes matter
For us, success isn’t just about learner drivers passing their tests – it’s about developing safer, more competent drivers.
Making the above adjustments has helped create test routes that venture into more high-speed and high-risk areas – where location allows – and has given learners the opportunity to face a broader range of driving scenarios. The extension of independent driving has also given learners more time to demonstrate their ability to follow directions independently, just like they would after passing their test.
As well as this, by reducing the number of stops and emergency stop exercises, the test feels 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
But don’t just take our word for it. 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.
Making progress
The trial was originally set to run for 3 months but was extended by 2 months to allow us to observe driving behaviour during the busy summer period. It officially concluded in October 2025.
During the trial, we visited a large portion of the sites involved. While on these visits, we had the chance to sit in on a number of tests and observe the trial routes first-hand, which was incredibly valuable and gave us a real sense of how the changes were working in practice.
We’re proud of the progress made so far and are grateful to everyone who took part in the trial. This has been an immense team effort, and we wouldn’t be at this point without the hard work from everyone involved.
On behalf of my colleagues Graham, Amanda and myself, thank you. We’ll continue to keep you updated about any future changes and if you have any questions, please add them in the comments. We’d love to hear from you.
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