Driving tests can be booked, cancelled or rescheduled online at www.direct.gov.uk/drivingtest where you can also check all test availability 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Further details can be seen at www.kent.gov.uk

Changes to the practical test from October 2010

Independent driving. 1 in 5 newly qualified drivers have a crash in their first 6 months. 16% more young drivers are killed now (16-19yrs) than 15 years ago. For independent driving the candidate will follow signs for approx 10 minutes. This might be done by the use of a series of verbal directions conducted in a convenient place by the side of the road or by the use of schematics (directions to look at rather than words). The directions will then be repeated back to the examiner, during the drive the candidate may be prompted if not sure of directions. The key is to make sure the candidate understands and demonstrates the use of MSM at the correct time and correctly staged whilst still using the same 40 minute total test time.

Observer on test. Anyone accompanying a candidate TO THE TEST CENTRE must sit in the test vehicle on the test for category B but Not B+E. Hoping this may lead to all test candidates using a registered instructor and raise “Quality Assurance” in the industry. There are many benefits not least helping with the debrief section of the driving test.

Flexible manoeuvres. Only 1 manoeuvre to be assessed as there is a negligible risk of KSI during manoeuvres. Giving more time to assess high incident risk areas i.e.; Rural roads, busy right turns across traffic, joining and changing lanes and faster moving traffic where there is greater stats of KSI (Killed & seriously injured). Trials have taken place at Cardington with ADI’s and their pupils, where the ADI sat in the front seat and examiner in the rear during a test situation, good feedback received but to implement this system all 400+ test centres must look for suitable test routes to use.

Government Drops Plans To Force Driving Instructors To Sit In On Their Pupils L-Tests

Radical plans to force driving instructors - whether parents or paid-for professionals - to sit in on their pupils' L-tests have been 'put into reverse' by the Government.
Ministers announced last May that a revamp of the driving test would 'require' candidates to take with them during their practical driving test an observer who could be their instructor, a parent or a friend.
The idea was that this 'observer' could give valuable feed back to candidates who fail the test.
But that mandatory requirement has now been dropped, though candidates are free to have their instructor on-board if they wish, the Daily Mail can reveal today.
As a result, new driving test regulations being drawn up by the Government's Driving Standards Agency and which were planned originally to be introduced in October 2010 could now be accelerated and introduced sooner.
Transport Secretary Lord Adonis denies the reversal is a road safety u-turn - insisting that the decision had been taken to 'avoid unnecessary regulation' and arguing that the measure was too bureaucratic, would slow up introduction of the new test, and that 'education not regulation' was needed to improve standards.
The original Driving Test revamp consultation unveiled by former Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly in May 2008 said: 'We propose that the person presenting the candidate should have to sit in the car with their student when the candidate takes the practical test, and to stay as the examiner gives their pupil feedback.'
Last night Transport Secretary Lord Adonis told the Daily Mail that the plan to insist that driving test candidates are accompanied by an observer 'have been reversed to avoid unnecessary regulation.'
The Department for Transport has now ruled that 'Candidates will be encouraged to take an observer – who could be their instructor or a parent or friend – in the car for the test to help them understand feedback from examiners and tailor further learning. But after a review of the proposals the Government will not regulate to make this mandatory.'
Transport Secretary Lord Adonis said: 'We want all learner drivers, from the start of the process, to consider the benefits of having an observer with them on their test.
'Having someone sitting in will enhance their learning experience and, in turn, improve road safety. An observer who has witnessed the test can give far better advice to the learner on how they performed and what areas of their driving they need to work on - whether they pass or fail.'
But after reviewing plans we have decided that encouraging candidates to take an observer is much more appropriate than introducing regulations to make it compulsory. It also means we can take this forward much sooner than previously planned – delivering the road safety benefits without the delay and costs of new regulation.'
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1219711/Government-drops-plans-force-driving-instructors-sit-pupils-L-tests.html#ixzz0ThzwvbUS