Radical plans to make it compulsory for instructors to sit in the back of the car when their pupils go up on test have done an emergency stop. The original plan was to alter the driving test regulations to see instructors in the back of cars from October 2010. The original plans were implemented as the former Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly said ‘We propose that the person presenting the candidate should have to sit in the car with their student when the candidate takes the practical test, and to stay as the examiner gives their pupil feedback.’

The DSA (Driving Standards Agency) has now stated that candidates will be encouraged to take an observer along, but this does not have to be the instructor. The observer is there merely to help the pupil understand the feedback in an unbiased way. However, after reviewing this, it has been decided that this will not be mandatory but just advised.

Simon Bush of Britannia Driving School said: “By making the instructors sit in the back on the car will inevitably raise the standards of those going up on test. It also allows for the instructor to act as a witness and allows for them to tailor further learning accordingly.”

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