Major Road Safety Milestone As Driving Test Clocks Up 75 Years Of Success

A survey has suggested that people in London and south-east England take more attempts to pass driving tests than candidates in any other UK region.

On Tuesday 1 June, British driving examination symbols three - quarters of a century of serving people secure on the road when it turns 75.

A compulsory driving test was introduced because on 1 June 1935 - among rising number of deaths as the popularity of the car increased.

Mr J Beene was the first driver to pass the driving test and later than number of deaths in the roads has fallen by 1,000.

According to statistics in 1934, 7,343 people were killed on the roads and there were 1.5 million cars. In 2008 there were 2,538 deaths on the roads and there were around 34 million cars.

Road safety minister Mike Penning said: "The driving test is not just a rite of passage; it has helped save thousands of lives on our roads.



It is very important for the examinee to pass the driving test as this will develop the skills which they need while driving expertly and securely.

"High principles of driver training and judgment are a vital contribution to serving Britains roads remains among the safest in the world."

Trevor Wedge, chief driving examiner at the Driving Standards Agency, said: "The driving test still retains some of the original elements included in 1935, such as turning in the road and reversing, but it is updated regularly. We continue to make sure that the test properly prepares drivers for the demands of modern roads.

"This year a new method is introduced named as independent driving which is tasking the candidate to drive for approximately 10 minutes either following a series of directions, following traffic signs, or a combination of both. Independent driving is when the learner get out on the road He/She will be driving alone and they need to know how to drive safely. Simultaneously it is very important for a learner to look at the signs at the time of driving because thats in normal life what the learners are going to do. It actually puts theory and practical together. It makes you think about the signs, makes you think independently and makes you feel much more confident.

Facts and figures:

• The test became compulsory on 1 June 1935, after being introduced on a voluntary basis on 16 March the same year


• The test was suspended during World War II and the Suez Crisis - examiners were put in charge of fuel rationing instead


• Until 1975, candidates still had to demonstrate hand signals


• The theory test was introduced in July 1996

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