Driving Test - Instructors to sit in back compulsarily

Update April 2010 This is no longer compulsary, and you can choose not to have your ADI in the car.

At the moment a learner driver can decide if they want their instructor to sit in the back of the car during their practical driving test or have a friend accompany them if they are using their own car on the test, that choice may soon be removed, and if the goverment gets it's way, all candidates will have to have an accompaning driver with them during the 40 minutes practical assessment.



This new change could be introduced in october of 2010, and is as a result of the learning to drive consultation that the driving standards agency carried out early on this year. According to them, they said that the study revealed having an accompaning driver in the back sit (either your ADI or family member or friend who taught you) was very beneficial to the test candidate!

So how would you as a learner driver react if your instructor, dad, mum, fiancee had to go out in the car with you while you tried to keep your wits about you to pass an already tough driving test?
It would be interesting to hear your comments and views on what could not only be a major change to the UK driving test, but another way of affecting the current low pass rate.

One thing I do know is that the pass rate is probably initially going to rapidly fall below the current 40% as all those nervous test candidates make more mistakes with those additional prying eyes looking over their shoulder.
Another effect is that all those foriegn licence holders who drive themselves to the driving test centre put 'L' plates on their car, will now have to find someone to go with them. I don't know if the dsa examiner will be checking the particulars of these passengers (probably not, but I don't know for sure at the moment).

The move has been backed by the minister for transport, so it looks likely to go ahead.
There is currently a petition by some driving instructors who are opposed to this compulsary requirement to sit in on their clients test, on the number 10 downing street website, which other ADI's are welcome to sign.

I believe learner drivers who are residents of the UK can also add their names to the petition as well. While October 2010 is still a few months away, this is probably a good reason for a lot of you to get that practical driving test out of the way, if you leave it till tomorrow, you might just be one of the first candidates who will have to carry passengers in the car on the dsa practical car assessment!

More Reading
ADI number not required to book test.



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