You reside in the UK and need a full licence to drive a car or any other vehicle here ?

Your driving will have to be tested by the Driving Standards Agency (DSA). They set the official syllabuses and minimum standards.

The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) is an executive agency of the Department for Transport, and is part of the Driver, Vehicle and Operator (DVO) group of organisations within the Department. The Agency is divided into five administrative areas. These manage 437 practical test centres using a booking system known as the Driving Test Control System (DTCS).

History of Driver Testing
The first Driving Tests were pioneered in France in 1893 and Italy in 1901. Although the UK brought in driving licences in 1903, this country was one of the last European nations to introduce tests on 13 March 1935. There were one and a half million vehicles registered at this time and over seven thousand people were being killed on the roads every year.

Leslie Hore-Belisha was the Transport Minister at the time the driving test and various other road safety measures were brought it. He wrote the foreword to the first 'Highway Code' published in 1931 and he gave his name to the flashing orange beacons on pedestrian crossings.

Britain's first Chief Driving Examiner was Captain RSD Stuart. He retired from the Army in 1933 and since May 1934 had been employed as a driving instructor with BSM in Bristol.

The first driving examiners took a driving techniques course with the police either at their Driving Schools in Hendon, North London or Preston, Lancashire. Training in the conduct of tests occurred at the centres where they were posted. In 1959 the Ministry of Transport set up its own examiner training school at Stanmore. This was transferred to Harmondsworth in 1967 and then to a purpose built complex at Cardington, near Bedford in 1976. The first official book on driving technique was 'Roadcraft' published in the mid 1950s. The Department of the Environment published 'Driving' as a manual to accompany the 'Highway Code' in 1969.

Since the driving test was introduced, there's been a twelve fold increase in the volume of traffic. The number of road deaths is down by half proving the value of the test.

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Driver Testing - A Road Safety business
The DSA's business is road safety. It sets minimum driving standards by testing new drivers and riders; maintains the registers of Approved Driving Instructors and Large Goods Vehicle Instructors and supervises basic training for learner motorcyclists.

The Agency was created on 2 April 1990. It replaced the 'Driver Testing and Training Division' of the Department of Transport. The Secretary of State for Transport at the time, Cecil Parkinson, introduced the strapline 'Safe Driving for Life' and spoke of giving the agency 'greater freedom to manage its staff and resources effectively'.

In 1992, the DSA were one of the first organisations to achieve the Charter Mark, awarded for excellence in customer service. This was withdrawn in 1995 because of its failure to meet performance targets. Whilst the award was regained in 1997, it was held only on a probationary basis and was withdrawn again this year. This is mainly because they've been unsuccessful addressing the continuous area of public and industry complaint about the test waiting periods still being too long. The additional problems with the booking and telephone problems caused a government select committee to describe the DSA service as 'lamentable'.

The agency's annual turnover is around £114 million, this is made up mainly from driving test fee income. The Agency employs 2,393 staff, of which some 1,653 are driving examiners. Every year, the Agency conducts about 1½ million tests for car drivers, 88,000 bus and lorry tests along with some 93,000 motorcycle rider tests. Around 1½ million theory tests are conducted by a private American contractor (Since 4.09.04 - Pearson Driving Assessments Ltd) every year at some 158 centres. At the end of last year there were 33,306 people on the Register of Approved Driving Instructors

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Dinosaurs to Dolphins
Not so long ago examiners were prohibited from talking to instructors and learners. Today's DSA listens to the views of ordinary driving instructors and customers through periodic focus group discussions. The DSA held their first national road safety conferences in May 1998. They have held a further one since then.

Since February 1996 the DSA has produced a quarterly magazine, 'Despatch'. This is distributed to its own staff and people involved in the driving industry. An annual magazine 'Drive On' is also issued to learner drivers when they pass their car driving test. The Agency has Trading Fund status and publishes an annual Business Plan.

The Agency publishes, at premium prices, a range of books covering the driving of virtually every type of vehicle. Their most authoritative and important publication is the 'Driving - the Essential Skills. It is the official interpretation of the Highway Code's section on driving and is effectively the Driving Examiners' Bible; both publications are intended as a complement to successful driving, not a restriction on it.

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Pass Rates

	Theory Car - 67%
	Practical Car - 44%

	Theory Motorcycle - 78%
	Practical Motorcycle - 64%

	Theory Lorry - 63%
	Practical Lorry - 49%

	Theory Bus 61%
	Practical Bus - 45%

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How Many Lessons to Pass First Time ?
Routine statistics are not yet officially kept for first time passes. On account that these would have to be a lower percentage than any of the above figures, this suggests that there's a problem that needs addressing.

The DSA have published an official response to the 'how many lessons' question ...

"Recent research has shown that, on average, people who take about 40 hours professional training, combined with plenty of practice, stand the best chance of passing the test. Some people need more practice than others."

Most candidates experience 'test nerves'. Be confident that you've had plenty of tuition and practice in a full range of driving conditions, combined with professionally conducted Mock Tests. On test, be sure that the car is well ventilated, taking really deep breaths can reduce the nervous tension. Relax.

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Standards of Driver Testing and Driving Tuition
The principles and procedures of the driving test have remained virtually the same ever since the test was introduced. The standard has been increased by lengthening of the test to include faster roads and limiting the number of faults permitted.

DSA driving examiners are frequently supervised by senior colleagues. Test routes and pass rates are also regularly reviewed. While driving instructors are supervised periodically by the Agency, the general standard of L-Driver tuition tends to be customer driven, meaning that ADIs focus mainly on what is needed to pass the test, rather than driving as a life skill. Consequentially, candidates aren't necessarily as prepared as they could be. This is reflected in the pass rate figures.

In conjunction with the Driving School industry and other road safety organisations the DSA are involved with various projects to improve the standards of testing and instruction including:

	continuing professional development for driving instructors
	new registers for trainers of company car drivers and bus drivers
	improving lesson structure through 'logbooks'
	the 'Pass Plus' Scheme
	European Union (3rd) directive amendments to driver licensing/testing

The Driving School Industry works with the DSA to promote better ways of testing and training. While the Agency's integrity is highly respected, instructors are mindful that its commercial capacity must remain restricted.

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