·              Over the past decade Britain's roads have become much safer.

·              The number of people killed or seriously injured in road accidents has fallen by a third, making road travel in this country safer than almost anywhere else in the world. 

·              But the casualty rate for young drivers has not changed in this time and newly-qualified drivers and their passengers account for one in five of all car deaths in Britain.  This is unacceptable and we must do more to make novice drivers safer.

That is why the Government has published proposals  to reform the way people learn to drive and how they are tested.

·              We want to create safer drivers and cut casualties by strengthening the way people learn to drive and how they are tested.

·              Learning will become more structured with a clear syllabus for learners to follow. Learners will have more information about the quality of driving instructors available through a new star rating system.

·              The driving test will be revised to place less emphasis on mechanical manoeuvres and allow examiners to properly assess the full range of a candidate's abilities, including their attitudes towards driving and their readiness to drive independently.

·              We also want to create a culture of extended and advanced learning beyond the driving test. Currently, too many new drivers are over confident when they pass their test - one in five people have an accident within six months of passing their test, and another 70% report near misses in the same period. The driving test should be viewed as a milestone towards lifelong learning.

·              Employers and insurers should have greater confidence in the driving abilities of those who have undertaken further training, and so we will work with them to develop proposals for post-test courses and qualifications that produce safer drivers, and that they are prepared to reward.  Examples of this could include a new advanced training qualification, a course in motorway driving or vocational qualifications such as for van drivers.

  The consultation 'Learning to drive' proposes:

• A new foundation course, to be piloted in schools and colleges in Scotland from this autumn, leading to a qualification on safe road use being offered across Great Britain;

• A more focused and thorough learning process before the driving test, which focuses not just on vehicle control but also the wider skills needed to be a safe driver, from driving in difficult conditions (for example at night or in poor weather) to learning to predict and respond to other road users' intentions;

• A new training syllabus to ensure learners understand what is required of them to become a responsible driver, enable them to undertake structured and efficient learning and accurately assess when they are ready to pass their driving test;

• An improved driving test which requires the driver to demonstrate independent driving skills and clear understanding of different situations on the road, with the option of modular assessment;

• New opportunities to take extra training post test; working with the insurance industry and employers in the driving for work sector we will develop new courses and qualifications to be taken after the driving test that could lead to lower premiums and a better chance of securing a career in the driving for work sector;

• A star-rating system for driving instructors so that learners can make an informed choice based on pass rates and the level of training instructors have undergone;

• A review of driving instructor training and testing to ensure they provide a quality service and are focussed on those areas of driving performance that are closely linked to safe driving.

What these reforms will mean

·        a driving test that gives a more realistic and rounded assessment of whether someone is fit to drive alone;

·        more focused and efficient learning, with greater clarity about what is required, so learners should not face any increase in costs;

• better training and testing of driving instructors and better information for the public on instructors’ qualifications and performance
• a wider range of opportunities for drivers to acquire skills and demonstrate that they have done so, both before and after they qualify, creating a culture of lifelong learning and driver development.

Safer and better newly-qualified drivers will see as a result:

·        lower numbers of accidents;

·        higher levels of learner satisfaction;

• more opportunities and greater incentives for post-test learning, with this becoming increasingly common;
• higher levels of employer confidence in the driving test and driving qualifications;
• lower insurance costs for drivers who have taken advantage of a wider range of learning options, both pre and post test, to improve their competence.

Key facts about learning to drive in Britain

• Two million people take a car driving test every year.
• The pass rate is 44%, meaning the average learner takes more than two tests before passing.
• 750,000 people qualify for a licence every year - three quarters of these are under the age of 25.
• Current average cost of a lesson is approximately £21 - up to £28 in London.
• The average learner has 52 hours of lessons and spends £1,500 learning to drive.
• Current fees for the driving test (for a car) are £30 for the theory test (which includes the hazard perception test); £56.50 for the practical test (£67 if you want an evening or weekend).
• A newly qualified male driver faces an insurance premium from £1,200; and a female driver of same age faces a premium from £800.
• The current car driving test is in two parts:

      - The theory test - a multiple-choice answer knowledge assessment (since 1996); and          a computer screen-based hazard perception test (since 2002).

      -  The practical test - of general driving on the road and standard manoeuvres (the    three-point turn, reversing round a corner, and emergency stop): this part of the test            also includes an eye sight test, and a 'show me-tell me' test of knowledge of the car (since 2003)

To join the consultation click here. The consultation closes on 8 September 2008.

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