Learner Drivers Face New Theory Test Questions

• DSA introduces case studies into the theory test

• Candidates to be tested on understanding as well as knowledge

• Case studies are widely used in education to put learning into context

The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) will start to introduce case studies into the driving theory test from the end of this month, it has announced today. From 28 September 2009, one case study will be included in the exam for car drivers, moped and motorcycle riders.

As part of the multiple choice section of the test, the case study will assess candidates’ understanding of driving theory, whilst the multiple choice questions will continue to assess their knowledge of the subject.

The introductory theory test case study will take the form of a scenario, or short story, on which five questions will be based. Candidates will answer the questions in the same way as they do now, using either the touch screen or mouse.

DSA’s Director of Driver Education and Learning, Jill Lewis, said: “Case studies are widely used in education to put learning into context and test comprehension of a subject, so many candidates will have encountered this type of question before.

“Initially we are introducing one case study based on existing questions in the theory test question bank, to get candidates used to the concept. It will also allow us to monitor any impact on the theory test. Over time, we plan to introduce more case studies into the theory test to assess candidates’ understanding of what they have learned.”

Changes to the theory test are part of Learning to Drive, a long-term programme of major reforms that will progressively strengthen the way that people learn to drive and are tested. This approach received general support from the almost 7,000 people who responded to the consultation.

Introduce the pupil to the rules on:

a) Seatbelt use

b) Seating position

c) Steering – Hand use and Position for straight lines and corners

d) Steering lock left & right (which wheels on the car move)

e) Observations – Setting Boundaries for vehicles and pedestrians approaching both front and rear. POM and looking from right to left or left to right

f) Control – Gas AND clutch (flat and uphill roads) – clutch AND brake (down-hills/cambers)

g) Reference points in front and rear, left and right windows. Use of mirrors and grids width away from kerb

Exercise One

1) Seating position with feet and hands

2) Reverse a short distance in a straight line. POM (Obs L-R). Ensure they understand control and reference points

3) Reverse straight and turn wheels slightly right. Stop to observe what has happened to the vehicle position and reference points

4) Correct the above and maintain straight line

5) Whilst reversing, gradually turn wheels more and more to the right than before. Stop to observe and then correct steering to get back to straight wheels and parallel position

Exercise Two

1) Practise above on uphill and downhill slopes of varying steepness

Exercise Three

1) Where practical, move out into a driving position in the road and practise reversing towards and then parallel with the kerb gradually

2) As above but use lots of lock and steer severely towards the kerb and then correct so as to end up parallel with the kerb

NB

These exercises will assist with all manoeuvres in the future.

Play and practise with them and it will help with other exercises without undue worry on the part of the student.

EXERCISE 1 – CLUTCH Gas & Clutch

2) Handbrake Off – Keep Feet Still (Balance)

3) Clutch Control

4) Move Off

5) Magic!!

6) Stalling

Brake & Clutch

1) Keep Footbrake Applied

2) Bite (n Appropriate Gear)

3) Keep Feet Still (Balance)

4) Clutch Control

5) Move Off

6) Stalling

1) Steering Lock

2) Power Steering

3) Pull – Push

4) Hand Position – Left Turns

5) Hand Position – Right Turns

6) Look At What You Want To Hit

7) Figure 8’s

8) Slow & Then More Gas

EXERCISE 3 – GEARS

1) Find Gear Lever / Back On Wheel

2) Find Gear Lever / Foot Over Clutch

3) One Handed Steering

4) Off Gas – Move Clutch

5) Change Gears Up

6) Change Gears Down

7) Block Changes & Why

If you’re currently taking driving lessons, here are some tips for hand and foot co-ordination.

Downhill / Uphill / Angle Starts

RECAP

Car Control:-

Clutch – Bite; Feet Still; Dip to Slow – Up to Go

Steering – Pull / Push

e.g. Half lock on turns wheels then half lock off straightens wheels

Gears – Rolling First; Changing up / down; Matching gear with Speed

CO-ORDINATION

1) Move off on clutch control

2) Move up gears

3) Try applying gas in different gears / different speeds; uphill & downhill

P.O.M.

1) Use throughout lesson

2) Intro at beginning

3) Talk through first 2/3

4) Move onto Q&A then help only when needed

UPHILL START

1) Possibly need more gas

2) Release handbrake slowly – if car rolls adjust clutch before releasing handbrake fully

OR use footbrake, re-apply handbrake, reset bite/gas and start again

3) Observations and signal then move off

4) More power before changing gear uphill (power = gas)

5) Stopping – Swap brake for brake

DOWNHILL START

1) Prepare – Appropriate gear for slope, swap footbrake for handbrake

2) Observation – Look all around, consider signal

3) Move – Foot slowly off brake & bring clutch up to match speed

4) Stopping – Swap brake for brake

ANGLE START

1) Clutch Control – Low speed to give more time to steer

2) Signal – Cannot see oncoming traffic clearly from behind target car

3) Start further back from target car and get closer and closer each attempt

4) Uphill / Downhill combinations

• Driver training and lessons liverpool
• ADI Driving Instructor Training parts 1, 2 & 3
• ADI check test training
• NVQ Assessments
• Novice Driver Training
• Advanced driver Training
• Fleet & Defensive Driver Training

Costs and prices for all budgets Our tuition costs are competitively priced across Merseyside, the North West and UK. There are very few driver training schools that are able to deliver you such quality training across so many driving disciplines. We also add value to your driving tuition costs because we can provide many of the extra resources you’ll need through this website, saving you time and money, whilst you get to concentrate on your individual training programme.

Many say they feel unprepared for the roads

More than half of motorists think the driving test is too easy, it was revealed today.

And as many as 89 per cent of those who have passed the test in the last two years would like to see candidates given a tougher examination, a survey from insurance company Direct Line found.

Also, 75 per cent of driving instructors have serious concerns about the test.

Based on responses from 2,304 adults, the survey found that 54 per cent of all drivers found the test too easy and 21 per cent admitted they felt unprepared or incapable of driving alone after gaining a full licence.

Also, 19 per cent said they still struggled to drive at night, with 11 per cent being unhappy on motorways and 23 per cent feeling uncomfortable on icy roads.

Lack of skills

Of those who had passed their test in the last two years, 89 per cent said the test could be improved to better prepare them for the road while nearly a quarter said they had been involved in a car accident because of a lack of driving skills.

Nearly all of the 150 driving instructors questioned in a separate survey, and about half of the motorists polled, said the test should include motorway training.

Direct Line’s motor spokeswoman Emma Holyer said: ‘Road crashes are the number one killer of people in their teens and 20s in the UK.

‘Our study has revealed the extent to which people feel the driving test has under-prepared them for the roads and, in the interests of safety, we are calling on the Driving Standards Agency to improve the test.’

The Press Association, All Rights Reserved.

They include talking on the phone or texting.

Eating behind the wheel is the most frequent dangerous motoring habit, a survey today showed.

More than two in five drivers admit to tucking into food while at the wheel in the last few weeks, the survey from Sainsbury’s Car Insurance showed.

More than a third (34%) drove while feeling tired, 20% drove while barefoot or when wearing flip flops, 17% went over the speed limit and 14% used a hand-held mobile phone.

Ten per cent owned up to driving after having had an alcoholic drink, while 10% took the controls without wearing a seatbelt.

Applying make-up

Also, 8% admitted texting while driving and 3% applied make-up while at the wheel.

Of the 1,012 people polled, 68% admitted to some form of dangerous driving during July 2007.

The biggest offenders were people in Wales and the west of England, where the offence rate was as high as 80%. Most law-abiding were those in north-west England (59%).

Stay alert

Sainsbury’s Car Insurance manager Lucy Hunter said: ‘It can be easy to become complacent behind the wheel of a car especially when driving regular routes but our advice is to stay alert and safe and don’t allow yourself to be distracted. Just one mistake could have terrible consequences.

‘Unfortunately, many motorists may not have considered the dangers behind some of their actions.’

The Press Association, All Rights Reserved.

The report, to be published within eight weeks, follows lengthy public consultation.

According to regulatory experts, there is likely to be an increase in manslaughter charges for individuals, as well as greater scrutiny on employers’ health and safety policies.

The results of the consultation showed that bad driving is increasingly perceived as a serious offence, and that a charge of manslaughter should be considered in a wider number of cases.

The CPS has already stated that it intends to work more closely with the Health and Safety Executive to assess whether employers should be held responsible for incidents involving workplace driving.

“The CPS consultation has come at a time when bad driving is falling under increased scrutiny, in terms of both individual and corporate liability,” said David Young, partner at international law firm Eversheds, who predicts that a more aggressive approach to charging and prosecuting driving offences is likely in the new year.

Examples of when employers may be prosecuted for offences of bad driving in the workplace include having no regular system of preventative checks of vehicles; directors being aware of a fault, but allowing the vehicle to be used anyway; substandard repairs made by a company; and failure to ensure driver working hours and rest schedules are adhered to.

Robert Kingdom, head of marketing at Masterlease, said: “It is clear that the CPS is comm-itted to investigating more businesses following an offence of bad driving involving a work vehicle. Managers are advised to check policies and practices relating to driving sooner rather than later, or risk falling foul of the law.”

Did you know that all photocard driving licences need to be updated every ten years?  The photograph on the licence is only valid for ten years and hence the licence itself needs to be updated accordingly.  This does not mean that drivers have to retake their driving test. Next year we will start to encounter drivers with expired photographs on their driving licences.

In order to raise awareness, the DVLA will prompt drivers with a reminder that their photo is due to expire.  When a photo on a photocard licence expires, the licence holder must apply to the DVLA and request that their licence is renewed.  The first photographs will expire in July 2008 and reminders will commence in May 2008 onwards.

The licence holder must update their licence before their current photo expires.  Failure to do so may result in a fine of up to £1000.

Driving instructors need to think about the implications of this requirement:

• Are your pupil’s licences up to date?
• If you are a PDI, will your licence be up to date when you take your qualifying exam?
• Is your own licence and those of any instructors who work for you up to date?

Get Involved

So that members of the public have everything they need to join in the consultation the DSA have published a wide range of information and created a number of feedback mechanisms. You have from now until 8th September 2008 (when the public consultation closes) to get involved.
A special Learning to Drive consultation web site has been setup, have your say and get involved here