History of the Driving Testin the UK

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href="bicycle-insurance.htm">Bicycle Insurance</a></li> </ul> </ul> </li> </ul> </div> <div class="subpage_title"> <div class="subpage_title_inner"> <h2 class="fontface">History of the UK Driving Test</h2> </div> </div> <div id="main" role="main" class="clearfix">  <div class="column_left"> <ul class="sidemenu"> <li><a href="https://www.collingwood.co.uk/learner-driver-insurance?refid=2passcld">Learner Driver Insurance</a></li> <li><a href="history-driving-test.htm">Driving Test History</a></li> <li><a href="driving-age.htm">Driving Age Rumours</a></li> <li><a href="licence.htm">Your Provisional License</a></li> <li class="subpresent"><a href="high-tec.htm">Find the Right Driving Instructor</a> <ul> <li><a href="code.htm">Code of Practice</a></li> </ul> </li> <li><a href="herald.htm">Women Instructors</a></li> <li><a href="illegal-driving-instructors.htm">Illegal Driving Instructors</a></li> <li><a href="goodluck.htm">Why we drive on the left</a></li> <li><a href="lessons.htm">Your First Few Lessons</a></li> <li><a href="learn.htm">Learning with Family/Friends</a></li> <li><a href="auto.htm">Driving an Automatic</a></li> <li class="subpresent"><a href="#">Driving Schools in your area</a> <ul> <li><a href="residential.htm">Residential Courses</a></li> <li><a href="scotland.htm">Scotland</a></li> <li><a href="northengland.htm">Northern England</a></li> <li><a href="middleengland.htm">Middle England</a></li> <li><a href="southengland.htm">Southern England</a></li> <li><a href="wales.htm">Wales</a></li> <li><a href="nireland.htm">N.Ireland</a></li> </ul> <li><a href="biker.htm">Riding a motorcycle</a></li> <li><a href="lgv.htm">Driving a Lorry or Bus</a></li> <li><a href="adi.htm">Becoming an ADI</a></li> <li><a href="links.php">More Links</a></li> </ul> <P> <a href="young-car-insurance-quotes.htm" target="_blank"> <img src="img/quotezone1.gif" border="0" width="160" height="600"></a> </div> <div class="column_central"> <img src="wmv_logo.jpg" border="0" height=43 width=45 alt="wmv" hspace="8" align="left"><h1 class="fontface">History of the <FONT COLOR="#CC0000">UK Driving Test</FONT></h1> <p><font size="+1"> The first car and driving licences were introduced in Britain in 1903. <br><br> The Driving Test was first started on British roads on 1st June 1935.<br> Because of the casualties on the roads, early Examiners were recruited from the services and Police.<br> In <b>1935</b> there were only 1.4m cars on the road – today there are over 38 million in the UK. <br><br> In <b>1939</b> Driving tests were suspended during the war (1939-46). <br><br> The car boom of the mid-fifties resulted in more new examiners recruited to fill the many vacancies. <br><br> In <b>1975</b>, candidates still had to demonstrate hand signals (your Dad/Grandad remembers it well). <br><br> In <b>April 1991</b> <img src="startlarrow.gif" border="0" height=13 width=18 alt="2pass" align="absmiddle"><a href="reverseleft.htm">Reverse Parking manoeuvre</a> becomes a compulsory part of the test. <br><br> In <b>November 1995</b> The <img src="startlarrow.gif" border="0" height=13 width=18 alt="2pass" align="absmiddle"><a href="passplus.htm">Pass Plus scheme</a> is introduced to help newly qualified young drivers gain valuable driving experience and hopeful a discount on their car insurance. <br><br> In <b>July 1996</b> <img src="startlarrow.gif" border="0" height=13 width=18 alt="2pass" align="absmiddle"><a href="35test.htm">theory test</a> was introduced which was a pen and paper type. Examiners stopped asking questions on the Highway Code. <br><br> In <b>Jan 2000</b> touch-screen Computer Theory Test was introduced.<br><br> In <b>Dec 2001</b>, Candidates can now <img src="startlarrow.gif" border="0" height=13 width=18 alt="2pass" align="absmiddle"><a href="booking.htm">book their theory test</a> via the internet <br><br> In <b>November 2002</b> <img src="startlarrow.gif" border="0" height=13 width=18 alt="2pass" align="absmiddle"><a href="hazard.htm">Hazard test</a> was added to the theory test <br><br> On <b>1st September 2003</b> <img src="startlarrow.gif" border="0" height=13 width=18 alt="2pass" align="absmiddle"><a href="engine.htm">Show me/Tell me vehicle safety questions</a> added to the beginning of the driving test. <br><br> In <b>October 2003</b> you have been able to book the <img src="startlarrow.gif" border="0" height=13 width=18 alt="2pass" align="absmiddle"><a href="bookingpract.htm">practical driving test on-line</a>. <br><br> On <b>6 April 2010</b> driving examiners start to ask if you would like your <br><img src="startlarrow.gif" border="0" height=13 width=18 alt="2pass" align="absmiddle"><a href="driving-test-instructor.htm">instructor to sit in with you</a> on the test. <br><br> On <b>4th October 2010</b> <img src="startlarrow.gif" border="0" height=13 width=18 alt="2pass" align="absmiddle"><a href="independent-driving-test.htm">Independent driving</a> become part of the Driving Test. <br><br> On <b>23rd January 2012</b> the multiple choice part of the UK driving Theory Test has been made up of questions that are no longer available in training materials. <img src="startlarrow.gif" border="0" height=13 width=18 alt="2pass" align="absmiddle"><a href="new-theorytest-2012.htm">Revision materials</a> will still be available but in the form of Revision Question Bank. <br><br> On <b>4th December 2017</b> the 3 point turn and turn in the road was dropped from the driving test. <br><br> On <b>4th December 2017</b> Sat Navs used in Independent driving and is increased to 20 minutes(half of the total test time) Oddly, One in 5 driving tests won't use a sat nav. You'll need to follow traffic signs instead. <br><br> On <b>4th December 2017</b> New reversing manoeuvre added. Pull up on the right-hand side of the road, reverse for 2 car lengths and rejoin the traffic.How to do:- <img src="startlarrow.gif" border="0" height=13 width=18 alt="2pass" align="absmiddle"><a href="pull-up-on-the-right-and-reverse.htm">Pull up on the right and reverse</a></li> <br><br> On <b>4th December 2017</b> Answering a vehicle safety question while you’re driving. You now have to answer one 'show me ' question while you drive and one question before the test. <br><br> In <b>March 2020</b> Due to the Coronavirus, Driving Test were Cancelled in the UK for over 3 Months. Theory tests were also cancelled. <br><br> On <b>28th September 2020</b> <img src="startlarrow.gif" border="0" height=13 width=18 alt="2pass" align="absmiddle"><a href="casestudytheorytest2020.htm">Video clips replaced written scenarios</a> in UK driving theory tests to make them more accessible. <br><br> <b>The video below,</b> made by FORD, was shown to reassure would-be drivers that the test was not something to fear. The commentary is witty and the video shows some of the hazards a new motorist might expect to encounter on the roads of the 1930s. <br> <h2>Video of a Driving Test in 1930s. We wonder how many would pass now!</h2> <CENTER> <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BbbERUEsQ4Q?rel=0&controls=0&showinfo=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> </CENTER> <br><br> View more Clips<a href="video.htm"><img src="startlarrow.gif" border="0" height=13 width=18 alt="2pass" align="absmiddle">Video Lesson Index page</a> </font></p> <hr> </div> <div class="column_right"> <a href="https://www.collingwood.co.uk/learner-driver-insurance?refid=2passcld" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.collingwood.co.uk/images/banner/instructors/banner_160x600.jpg" alt="Collingwood Learner Driver Insurance" border="0" width="160" height="600"></a> </div>  <br style="clear:both" />  </div> <div class="advert_block"> <div class="advert_inner_full_width"> <a href="https://www.2pass.co.uk/dts-online-test.html"><img src="img/anytimefree.png" border="1" width="970" height="250" alt="Driving Test Success Anytime free trial" /></a> </div> </div> <footer> <div class="l-footer_inner"> <div class="l-footer-col"> <h2 class="fontface">Navigation</h2> <ul class="footer-nav"> <li><a href="index.htm">Home</a></li> <li><a href="start.htm">Starting Out</a></li> <li><a href="theory.htm">Theory Test</a></li> <li><a href="pract.htm">Practical Test</a></li> <li><a href="passed.htm">Passed</a></li> <li><a href="software.htm">Training Aids</a></li> <li><a href="page3.htm">News</a></li> <li><a href="site-search.htm">Site Search</a></li> <li><a href="mail.htm">Contact</a></li> <li><a href="in.htm">Privacy Policy/About Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <div class="l-footer-col"> <h2 class="fontface">Advertisement</h2> <a href="https://www.collingwood.co.uk/learner-driver-insurance?refid=2passcld" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.collingwood.co.uk/images/banner/instructors/banner_350x250.jpg" alt="Collingwood Learner Driver Insurance" border="0" width="300" height="250"></a> </div> <div class="l-footer-col last"> <h2 class="fontface">Join us on Facebook!</h2> <div class="fb-like-box" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/www2passcouk" data-width="300" data-height="370" data-show-faces="true" data-stream="false" data-header="false"></div> </div> </div> <div class="disclaimer"> <p align="right"> © 1996-2025 </div> </footer>   <div id="fb-root"></div> <script>(function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_GB/all.js#xfbml=1&appId=113437838748987"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); }(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));</script> <script src="//ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1.7.1/jquery.min.js"></script> <script>window.jQuery || document.write('<script src="js/libs/jquery-1.7.1.min.js"><\/script>')</script>  <script src="js/plugins.js"></script> <script src="js/libs/slider.js"></script> <script src="js/script.js"></script>  <script type="text/javascript"> var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? 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History of the Driving Testin the UK