Driving Standards Agency
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| Abbreviation | DSA |
|---|---|
| Formation | April 1990 |
| Type | Government agency (Trading fund) |
| Purpose/focus | Administration of UK driving tests |
| Headquarters | The Axis Building |
| Location | Upper Parliament Street, Nottingham, UK |
| Region served | Great Britain |
| Chief Executive | Rosemary Thew |
| Main organ | Executive Board |
| Parent organization | Department for Transport |
| Affiliations | VOSA, DVLA, VCA |
| Budget | £176m (2008) |
| Staff | 2,653 |
| Website | DSA |
The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) is an executive agency of the UK Department for Transport (DfT).
DSA’s vision is “Safe Driving for Life”. Its overall mission is to contribute to the public service agreement objective to achieve 40% reduction in riders and drivers killed or seriously injured in road accidents, in the age group up to 24 years, by 2010 compared with the average for 1994-98.
DSA's contribution centres on:
- setting standards for drivers, riders and trainers
- driver education and the provision of learning resources
- registering and supervising quality assured instructors
- modern, effective and efficient assessments conducted as computer based and practical tests
The responsibilities of DSA only cover Great Britain. In Northern Ireland the same role is carried out by the Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA).
DSA is part of the Motoring and Freight Services (MFS) group. This group is the result of the re-structuring of the Driver, Vehicle and Operator (DVO) group.
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[edit] Profile
The DSA employs 2,740 civil servants, about 1,800 of whom are practical driving examiners. It has 400 practical test centres throughout Great Britain. In 2005, the Agency carried out some 1.4 million practical car tests and 2.1 million driving theory tests.
An acquisition program for Multi-Purpose Test Centres (MPTCs) is continuing to facilitate the provision of an enhanced motorcycle test from April 27 2009. This practical test, derived from the Second European Driving Licence Directive, includes an off-road manoeuvres section before the 'on-road' motorcycle test. Since March 2008, it has been based at 112 Upper Parliament Street, Nottingham, with the main training centre at Cardington in Bedfordshire.
[edit] Theory and practical driving tests
Before you can learn to drive a car, moped or motorcycle you must apply for a provisional driving licence. If you already hold a valid full driving licence and want to learn to drive larger vehicles, minibuses or buses you will need to apply for provisional entitlement for these vehicles.
After you have your provisional licence, taking your theory test is the next step in getting a full licence. For cars and motorcycles you'll be asked 50 questions in 57 minutes and the pass mark is 43 out of 50. For lorries and buses you'll be asked 100 questions in 115 minutes and the pass mark will be 85 out of 100.
The hazard perception test is the second part of the driving theory test. You need to pass both parts to pass the theory test. Once you have passed the theory test you can then apply to take your practical driving test.
Your driving test will start with an eyesight check and some vehicle safety questions. You will then start your practical driving test which will include some specific manoeuvres. The driving part of your test will last about 40 minutes. Throughout the test your examiner will be looking for an overall safe standard of driving, including when you are carrying out the set exercises. You can make up to 15 driving faults and still pass the test (16 or more results in failure). However, if you commit one serious or dangerous fault you will fail the test. The current pass rate for car 'L' tests is 43%.
The cost of the theory test is now £31.00 and the practical car test is £62.00 if taken on weekdays and £75.00 if taken at weekends or weekday evenings.[1]
[edit] Driving test fees
| Test | Before July 2005 | July 2005–April 2006 | April 2006 | April 2008 | 29 September 2008 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Car and motorcycle theory test | £21.50 | £21.00 | £21.50 | £30.00 | no change | |
| Lorry and bus theory test | no information | no information | no information | £45.00 | no change | |
| ADI part I theory test | no information | no information | no information | £80.00 | no change | |
| Car practical test (standard weekday) | £42.00 | £45.50 | £48.50 | £56.50 | no change | |
| Car practical test (standard out of hours) | no information | no information | no information | £67.50 | no change | |
| Car practical test (extended weekday) | no information | no information | no information | £113.00 | no change | |
| Car practical test (extended out of hours) | no information | no information | no information | £134.00 | no change | |
| Motorcycle practical test (standard weekday) | £51.00 | £55.00 | £58.00 | £60.00 | £80.00 | |
| Motorcycle practical test (standard out of hours) | no information | no information | no information | £70.00 | £92.00 | |
| Motorcycle practical test (extended weekday) | no information | no information | no information | £120.00 | £160.00 | |
| Motorcycle practical test (extended out of hours) | no information | no information | no information | £140.00 | £184.00 | |
| Domestic licence (category F, G, H and K) practical test (standard) | no information | no information | no information | £56.50 | no change | |
| Domestic licence (category F, G, H and K) practical test (out of hours) | no information | no information | no information | £67.50 | no change | |
| Car with trailer, lorry and bus practical test (standard) | £80.00 | £85.00 | £89.00 | £105.00 | no change | |
| Car with trailer, lorry and bus practical test (out of hours) | no information | no information | no information | £125.00 | no change | |
| ADI part II practical test | £70.00 | £79.00 | £82.00 | £99.00 | no change | |
| ADI part III Ability to Instruct test | £70.00 | £79.00 | £82.00 | £111.00 | no change | |
| Driving instructor trainee licence | £100.00 | £125.00 | no change | no change | no change | |
| Theory test pass certificates for organisations with delegated authority (car and motorcycle) | £10.00 | £12.00 | £14.00 | £18.50 >03/Sep/2007 | no change | |
| Theory test pass certificates for organisations with delegated authority (lorry and bus) | no information | no information | no information | £29.00 | no change |
The last increases prior to July 2005 were:
- Practical car and motorcycling test: 2002
- Lorry and bus tests: 2001
- Driving instructor test: 1997
Sources: http://www.dsa.gov.uk/PressRelease.asp?id=4206 http://www.dsa.gov.uk/PressRelease.asp?id=145
[edit] Driving Instructor Registration
If you want to work as an Approved Driving Instructor (ADI) in Britain, you'll need to be registered on DSA's Register of ADIs. The only exception to this is if you hold a trainee licence to give instruction - issued by the ADI Registrar.
Once registered, an ADI may work for a motoring school, or become self employed. Some ADIs choose to take additional qualifications so that they can train drivers of large goods vehicles, or fleet drivers.
DSA requires people who are applying to register as a Potential Driving Instructor (PDI) and existing ADIs who are applying to extend their registration or re-register to have a criminal record check.
DSA uses the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) to obtain criminal record checks of people in England and Wales, and Disclosure Scotland for people in Scotland
The ADI qualifying tests in three parts:
- theory (part one) - a multiple choice section and a video-based hazard perception section
- driving ability (part two) - an eyesight test followed by a practical test of driving technique
- instructional ability (part three) - a practical test of your ability to instruct
You must pass all three parts of the examination in this order and must complete the whole examination within two years of passing the theory test (part one).
After being entered on the ADI register, ADIs are free to give driving instruction for money or monies worth. It is a condition of remaining on the register that all ADIs undergo a periodic 'test of continued ability of fitness to give instruction' also known as the 'check test'. The passage of the Road Safety Act 2006 empowered DSA to set the standards on all paid tuition, not just that of motor cars at present.
DSA also holds a voluntary register for Fleet drivers, Compulsory Basic Trainers (for Motorcycles), Large Goods Vehicle instructors and the Register of post-test motorcycle trainers. These registers provide quality standards for the relevant discipline, but are not necessary for paid tuition.
[edit] 'Learning to Drive' programme
Following consultation, Ministers have decided to proceed with a programme of measures, based on education and incentivisation, which will strengthen the way that people learn to drive and are tested, and encourage a culture of lifelong learning.[2]
DSA plan a phased implementation programme, which supports progressive improvements whilst avoiding disruption to those currently learning to drive.
Early improvements are:
- continued roll out across Great Britain of the new pre-driver qualification in safe road use
- introducing from October 2009:
- a partial credit towards the theory test for car drivers for those students awarded the new pre-driver qualification in the form of an abridged theory test
- case studies into the theory test for car drivers and moped and motorcycle riders to better assess whether learners have understood driving or riding theory
- launching in 2009/10 a trial to assess the effectiveness of the proposed new learning to drive syllabus and process
- introducing from October 2010 a requirement for the supervising driver to accompany the candidate during a practical car test
- subject to the outcome of the trialling, from October 2010 introducing into all DSA practical tests for learner drivers an assessment of competence whilst the candidate is driving independently.
[edit] References
[edit] See also
- Driving Examiner (United Kingdom)
- Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) - administers the MOT
- Highways Agency
- Driving Instructors Association
[edit] External links
- Driving Standards Agency website
- Directgov - public services all in one place
- Business Link - practical advice for business
- DSAgov on Twitter
- Contact details of DfT organisations
- 2007/8 Annual Report and Accounts
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