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Latest Blog - Sunday 14th November 2010

 Welcome to my first blog.  I’m Dave Shannon and I’m a driving instructor and co-owner of Drive Ahead School of Motoring.  These blogs are going to be weekly posts about a range of issues.  From changes to the tests, new laws and regulations, as well as help and advice on a range of driving lessons related issues.

If there’s anything you’d like me to talk about, then please send me an e-mail to info@driveahead.co.uk

 Firstly, I’d like to talk about the ‘new test’.   The updated test began on 4th October 2010.  The driving test continues to be 38-40 mins in length.  During that time you will drive on a variety of roads and in varying traffic conditions.  You will be required to do 1 reversing manoeuvre (from Turn in Road, Reverse Parking (Bay or Parallel), or Left Reverse), you may be asked to do an emergency stop (1 in 3 tests gets this), and you will now have to complete a 10 minute section of ‘independent driving’.  This new section to the test requires you to follow a series of directions, signposts, or a combination of both.

 The purpose of the independent driving section is to encourage you to think for yourself about the direction you are going, rather than reacting to prompts to start your MSM routine (ie the examiner asks you to take the next left, and you automatically check your mirrors and signal, without necessarily thinking about the approach to the junction).  It will be up to you to identify the junction, and plan your way towards it.  

 If the examiner gives you a series of driving directions, then he may also show you a diagram to support those directions (click here for an example)  If you forget the directions then you can always ask the examiner to repeat them, and if you take a wrong turning you won’t normally be marked down, providing you have driven correctly to get there, although the examiner may try and intervene to keep you on the correct route.

 If the examiner asks you to follow signs to a certain destination, it is up to you to read the street signs and decide which direction you should be taking and act accordingly. You will need to identify the type of junction you are approaching, such as T-junction, Crossroads, or a roundabout.  If you’re not sure how to identify the different junctions, then ask your driving instructor for more information.

 The important thing to remember is that whichever direction you go, it is vital that whatever you do, it is safe and planned.  For example, if you realise you are in the wrong lane, then don’t just swerve across to the next lane, make sure you use the MSM routine correctly.

 Here is the official DSA you tube video to guide you through the independent driving: