The driving test is about to reach a major milestone – its 75th birthday.
And statistics show just how much safer the roads are now compared with June 1 1935, the day compulsory testing was introduced.
In 1934, 7,343 people were killed on the roads and there were 1.5 million cars. In 2008, there were 2,538 deaths, when there were around 34 million cars.
Road Safety Minister Mike Penning said: “The driving test is not just a rite of passage, it has helped save thousands of lives on our roads. The test and the learning needed to pass it are a vital part of giving drivers the skills they need to drive efficiently and safely.
“High standards of driver training and assessment are an essential contribution to helping Britain’s roads remain among the safest in the world.”
Trevor Wedge, chief driving examiner at the Driving Standards Agency, said: “The driving test still retains some of the original elements included in 1935, such as turning in the road and reversing, but it is updated regularly. We continue to make sure that the test properly prepares drivers for the demands of modern roads.
“This year will see the introduction of independent driving into the test, to help candidates demonstrate their ability to drive without step-by-step instruction. We believe that this added element will lead to better and safer drivers.”
The first driver to pass was a Mr J Beene and within a year the number of deaths on the road had fallen by 1,000.
The test was suspended during the Second World War and the Suez crisis in 1956 – examiners were put in charge of fuel rationing instead.
Until 1975, candidates still had to demonstrate hand signals. The theory test was introduced in July 1996.