Learning to drive is a part of life for many 17 year olds in the UK – this is a pro=cess that can be both expensive and stressful for many however, as there is a lot that learners need to take in – from the practical side of driving to the driving theory test, knowledge of the Highway code and what signs and road markings mean as well as the reason why some vehicles use chevron kits like this https://www.vehiclechevrons.com/ – when you are starting off it can feel overwhelming at times!
The driving test in the UK has changed a lot over the years. It was first introduced in April 1935, and the first person to pass was called Mr Been (no not Mr Bean!). When it was introduced, it was actually voluntary to take the test, as this was to prevent a lot of people taking it all in one go when it did become a legal requirement.
It was only June of the same year that the driving test then became a compulsory part of driving for anyone who had started to drive after April in 1934. However, not as many people had cars in those days. Although there was no theory test involved, learners were asked questions based on the Highway Code which had been established for the first time in 1931.
In the years after the test was introduced, international crisis saw it suspended for a time – during the second world war, driving tests were stopped and provisional licences that were gained during the war were automatically converted to full licence after, and also during the crisis in the Suez in 1956 driving tests were once again put on hold.
The first big change to the driving test came in 1975 – as cars were becoming more modern, the test that originally required drivers to demonstrate arms signals to show which way they were going was scrapped, as cars were now being fitted with indicator lights.
In the 1990s, bigger changes were made to the test as the Driving Standards agency was created – among the changes are the requirement to reverse park, the pass plus scheme and of course in 1996 the part of the test that many dread – the written theory test.
Although the test has changed a lot over the years, the increase of vehicles on the roads has made it a necessity to have a good knowledge of the roads in the UK in order to reduce the rate of road traffic accidents.
