Category - DSA

An email alert from the DSA (this is an old post – it’s DVSA now, of course):

Electronic parking brakes suitable for tests

• Vehicles with electronic parking brakes can be used for tests
• Change from 1 November 2010
• DSA responds to advances in vehicle technology

From 1 November vehicles fitted with an electronic parking brake will be allowed to be used for practical driving tests.

There are usually two ways of releasing an electronic parking brake:

• using the footbrake while releasing the parking brake, then coordinating the accelerator and clutch to move away
• coordinating the accelerator and clutch – when the electronics sense the clutch is at biting point the parking brake releases automatically

The parking brake will not usually release automatically if:

• the accelerator is not used
• the controls are not coordinated correctly

If there is no loss of control either method is acceptable.

If the examiner needs to take action to stop the vehicle, and it’s not fitted with dual controls, they will apply and hold the electronic parking brake – this will bring the vehicle to a controlled stop.

Advances in technology

To begin with, electronic parking brakes were fitted only to top of the range vehicles. DSA decided not to allow manual vehicles fitted with them to be used for driving tests.

Electronic parking brakes are now being fitted to an increasing number of vehicles, so it’s unrealistic to continue this policy.

Useful links:

• minimum test vehicle requirements for a car and car and trailer test
• minimum test vehicle requirements for mopeds and motorcycles
• minimum test vehicle requirements for buses and lorries

Well, if people want to buy something that is unnecessarily complex and will cost more to maintain and repair then it’s their problem.

I teach learners to do manoeuvres with no gas to begin with. That way, they have to learn how to control it without stalling. Once they are able to do it then they can use gas if they wish (and I’m happy we’re not going to end up in someone’s front room). But these fancy cars won’t allow that: they will need gas otherwise the parking brake won’t release.

Not much of a problem, but why change something that works fine in its existing form? I, for one, will not be getting one of these as a tuition vehicle. That’s for sure.

An email alert from the DSA:

DSA to stop publishing questions used in theory tests

• Candidates need to understand theory
• End to memorising answers
• Unpublished questions used from 1 January 2012

The Driving Standards Agency is to stop publishing the multiple choice questions and answers used in theory tests, Road Safety Minister Mike Penning announced today.

This will help to ensure that new drivers learn the principles behind driving theory rather than just learning answers.

The move follows the introduction of independent driving into the driving test and the DSA’s decision to stop publishing test routes in October 2010, to make sure the test assesses a learner’s ability to drive and not their capacity to memorise routes.

Mike Penning said:

“The driving theory test should help to prepare drivers for real life on the road – good driving is not just about vehicle-handling skills, but also about having the knowledge and understanding of safe driving theory.

“No longer publishing these questions and answers will mean that successful candidates will have to understand the theory rather than simply memorising answers.

“I believe that this – along with the other changes we are making to the driving test regime – will lead to better drivers and safer roads.”

In September 2011 DSA will change the format of books and other learning materials available to help people prepare for theory tests. This will take place at the same time as more challenging case studies are introduced to car and motorcycle theory tests.

Then, from 1 January 2012, DSA will create theory tests using questions which will not be published.

Practice questions and answers, not used in theory tests, will still be available to help candidates with revision.

Other companies which publish products containing DSA theory test questions will also no longer have access to the questions used in the tests.

I’m not completely sure how I feel about this. I agree totally that candidates should actually know about road safety. I also don’t think that anyone could memorise all 1,000 questions (although some do try).

I have a pupil at the moment who can drive and has been doing for many years. He has got to take his theory test, and yesterday he was complaining about how some of the questions were “crap” and “wrong”. Two that seemed to get him particular annoyed (these were just “crap”) were the one about guide dogs for the deaf (burgundy jackets) and how far to depress the chest when delivering CPR.

He said he knows a few deaf people and in all his years has never – even once – seen a guide dog for the deaf (well, they’re called “hearing dogs”, but we all get the idea). And he asks why he needs to know the chest compression depth when he is just learning to drive (he’s done First Aid in his job, so knows the answer anyway).

I do get pupils who get a few questions wrong and we have to have a discussion about why. Some questions definitely are a little misleading – they’re the ones likely to send the self-proclaimed heroes of the special needs candidate incandescent with rage. The questions aren’t wrong, just very confusing to non-experts or people under pressure in the Theory Test Centre.

It will be interesting to see what happens when the change occurs. And I’ll have to make sure I don’t buy any more of those Driving Test Success DVDs in bulk… mind you, they’ll still be useful, I guess.

EDIT: The most recent DSA news update says the change comes into force from 23 January 2012.

Search terms used to find the blog:

The Theory Test is a load of bollocks

No it isn’t. This statement is exclusive to that group of people who fail it, and yet somehow think that they’re great drivers. If you don’t know the Highway Code, you are a very poor driver. And if you can’t pass the Theory Test, it’s because you don’t know the Highway Code!

The Hazard Perception Test (HPT) is a load of bollocks

No it isn’t. If you concentrated on practicing it instead of whinging about having to use a computer or even do a test, you’d pass it easily.

The HPT is NOT intended to be a substitute for real world hazard management. It just helps you learn to identify the kinds of things to look for in the early stages of learning to drive. It is very relevant to anyone under the age of 25-30, or who has never driven before – but if you’re older than that with road experience then you’ll just have to get used to the fact that you’re going to have to do it, so concentrate on passing it instead of moaning.

An email alert from the DSA:

DSA & SQA honoured in road safety awards

An innovative road safety qualification developed by the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) in partnership with the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) will today receive a prestigious Prince Michael International Road Safety Award.

The Safe Road User Award is aimed primarily at 14-16 year olds. It aims to influence young people’s attitudes to road safety and give them a solid grounding in safe road use before they learn to drive. Holders who go on to learn to drive can take a shorter version of the car theory test. The qualification was piloted at Balwearie High School in Kirkcaldy.

The Prince Michael International Road Safety Awards are presented in recognition of outstanding contributions to improving road safety.

Announcing the award, HRH Prince Michael GCVO said: “I am delighted to present this award. It is a pioneering and ingenious approach to senior school road safety education.”

Jill Lewis, DSA’s Director of Driver Education and Learning said: “DSA is delighted to receive this special award for a special qualification. Not only does the Safe Road User qualification increase the students’ knowledge and awareness about using the roads, ultimately it could also save their lives.

To see the press release in full, please visit the DSA website.

The number of hits I’m getting based on this search term (since the introduction of independent driving on October 4th) is incredible!

They will NOT have pass rates available for at least a month, and even when they do these figures will be meaningless for at least a year – especially to the layman. A pass rate for September of 45% and one for October of 43% (those are completely imaginary figures, by the way) does not say anything at all about the change to the driving test. Absolutely nothing.

Even now, if one test centre quotes 45% and another one 43%, it does not mean it is easier to pass at the one with the higher figure. Pass rates can vary hour-to-hour, day-to-day, week-to-week, month-to-month, year-to-year. They can vary by as much as ±10% (that’s between 35% and 55% if the average is 45%) over months without any change having been made to the system or any recognised problems with specific examiners being identified.

If you are a learner who is searching for this information, the only thing you need to be worried about is whether your instructor is teaching you properly. If he/she is, then the pass rates are completely irrelevant. It is down to how well you drive on the day, and little else.

I really hope it isn’t instructors looking for the information, though.

So, the big day came. Then went. Was it a problem in the end?

I had a pupil on test today and the silly sod failed for not checking his mirrors when changing lanes (and he said he knew he’d done it). Otherwise he’d just got 4 driver faults. The examiner told him at the end that his independent driving was fine.

While I was in the test centre waiting (I don’t see any point scurrying along like a trained poodle just because of independent driving), I asked one of the examiners how it had gone. He said there had been no problems and people seemed to be driving better – I just wish he hadn’t added that “everyone was passing”, or that I hadn’t taken that as literally as I did, given the result 15 minutes later for my pupil!

He said he regretted the loss of a manoeuvre (ditto that), but he couldn’t see that it would have much effect on KSIs.

It’s a huge storm over nothing. If pupils are taught properly they can drive independently – or independently enough to pass the driving test. Simple as that.

And even if KSIs don’t fall by hundreds of percent, it doesn’t mean it isn’t a valuable part of the test.