Would you pass the new driving test?

Britain’s driving test is in line for one of its biggest-ever shake-ups in its near 80-year history.

A major overhaul is planned by Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin. The aim of the changes is to reduce the number of young motorists dying on the country’s roads.

Experienced BSM instructor Thomas Magill ensures all his students sit three mock tests before the real test with an examiner.

He put our reporter, Bill Gibb, through a gruelling examination of his driving abilities.

Having sat my test in the summer of 1977 it would have been Abba, not One Direction, on the car radio if you’d been allowed to have one on.

But the decades melted away and the long forgotten heart flutter and dry mouth came rushing back as Thomas slipped into examiner mode.

“The test will last between 35 and 40 minutes. I will ask you to do a manoeuvre and may also ask you to do an emergency stop.

“During the test I will ask you to do independent driving when I will show you diagrams to follow. Are you familiar with independent driving?”

I said yes but frankly I wasn’t too sure.

Following a couple of questions about the car Thomas instructed me to move off when ready.

Remembering to look over my shoulder rather than just rely on the mirrors, we were off.

It was amazing how everything that has always seemed second nature required constant concentration.

Was I keeping both hands firmly on the wheel? What about mirrors? Was I checking before signalling for every manoeuvre?

I didn’t know the test route around the south side of Glasgow but that didn’t matter the whole experience seemed strange and unfamiliar.

A succession of turns and stops followed and I became paranoid as to whether I’d just caught Thomas noting something on his clipboard.

Tense though it was, it was at least familiar. The independent driving element, though, was totally alien.

Thomas showed me a number of diagrams, asking me to follow the route indicated without instruction.

Was it second exit at that roundabout? And then first, or second, left?

I was getting hot under the collar and could feel the first bead of sweat forming.

Thomas offered to turn the heating down and later mentioned the weather, the only two times there was comment other than instruction.

This is one of the newer elements of the driving test and frankly I hated it.

It must only have lasted 10 minutes it seemed an awful lot longer. I was glad when we were back to a list of instructions.

And I was starting to perk up as my reversing round a left-hand corner was precise and close to the kerb.

Even the emergency stop was fine, with Thomas raising his hand and calling out clearly rather than banging the clipboard on the dashboard as I remembered.

But any cockiness faded faster than my lower than normal speed as we weaved our way round tight residential streets.

I slowed and checked at unmarked junctions but Thomas’s over-exaggerated peering round indicated he wasn’t impressed. It gave me a real knock and I started to imagine faults at every oh-so-careful turn.

I became ridiculously self-conscious over road positioning. When should I indicate at the roundabout?

Was this still a 20mph zone? It looked like it from the faded markings but I was doubting myself.

When I lifted a hand to acknowledge a driver letting me through a gap first, Thomas was quick to say: “Keep both hands on the wheel please.”

I can’t remember when 40 minutes seemed so long.

Frankly I was glad when Thomas instructed me to pull in and said the test was over.

My joy was to be short-lived . . .

It took just moments for Thomas to utter the words that would have any learner despairing.

“I have to tell you that you’ve failed. I’ll now run through the points for you.”

Knowing it wasn’t for real and that no one was going to snatch my licence back and point me to the nearest bus stop eased the disappointment but not much.

We all pride ourselves on our driving ability and having someone so qualified pick holes in it was a downer.

Points that would have seen me having to save up another £62 for a re-sit included ones that might be expected, like signalling and observation.

Others were both surprising and damning.

“If I had to sum you up in two words it would be sloppy and complacent,” said Thomas.

“Don’t get me wrong there’s plenty that’s good and I could see how your experience let you handle situations confidently. But open and closed junctions were a real concern.”

I’ve always thought I was cautiously slow but Thomas had rated my approaches as fast enough to cause concern.

I was told I should be in first gear, if I wasn’t, it was an indication my speed was wrong.

Thomas had a few other points, like riding the clutch and ratcheting on the handbrake but I was starting to drift into despair.

“I’m glad I passed 18 years ago,” said Thomas, who’s 42. “This test is tough now and like many people who’ve driven for years you’ve got into some bad habits.

“There is good reason for doing things right, like keeping both hands on the wheel at all times.

“In a rear-end shunt your airbag won’t go off. At least having your hands there can help stop your face hitting the steering wheel.

“On a positive note, just two or three refresher assessments are all I think it would take to sort the faults out.”

It was scant consolation to be honest.

And even the 45 out of 50 on the theory test element didn’t cheer me up much.

Thomas reckons the new test proposals should go even further I felt my temporary learner journey had gone far enough.

We all think we’re brilliant drivers but how many of the 35 million-plus people holding driving licences in the UK would pass if they had to sit it now?

Proposals for the driving test overhaul include a minimum learning period of up to 12 months before candidates can even sit the test.

And the practical test itself could be substantially toughened, with candidates having to drive unsupervised for twice as long as at present.

Experience of motorway driving as well as driving in dark and rainy conditions are also being looked at.

Mark Peacock, head of BSM, said: “We are supportive of the moves to try to improve the safety of young drivers.

“In particular, we’d welcome changes to improve driver training such as allowing learners to take lessons on motorways and encouraging greater practice in a range of conditions, like adverse weather, before someone sits their test.

“We would support a move to allow people to start learning to drive at a younger age if they had a minimum learning period enforced by a mandatory logbook, motorway lessons, night and rural driving practice.

“The driving test itself has changed a lot over the years with the introduction of elements like independent driving and the theory test.

“Candidates are also assessed on skills such as how economically they drive. As such, drivers who took their test a long time ago may well struggle to pass the test as it is now.”