From snow and fog to night driving, the hazard perception test has just introduced weather conditions to its clips library – here’s everything you need to know!
In 2015, the test saw the long overdue arrival of computer-generated videos to test your ability of spotting potential dangers in the road. Fast forward to today and the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has now introduced a new series of CG clips that feature different weather and driving conditions.
These include fog, rain, wind and snow/ice. Other clips include driving at night and in dusk/dawn low-light conditions. To help you get an idea of what the new clips show, here are some sample clips from the DVSA:
Driving in snow Driving in rain Driving at night
How the new hazard perception test clips effect learner drivers
These new clips are already up and running in the hazard perception test but don’t change the length of the test itself or what you are expected to do; learners still spot developing hazards in 14 video clips and will get awarded points for spotting them as soon as they start to happen. The pass mark also remains the same.
In the meantime, the DVSA advises to keep using theory test practise software plus we will introduce the new style clips into Theory Test Pro as soon as they become officially available; once they go live, we will let you know.
Who the new hazard perception test clips apply to
As well as pupils learning to drive a car, the new clips will also appear in:
Motorcycle theory tests from December 2018 • Lorry, bus and coach theory tests from early 2019 • Approved driving instructor (ADI) part 1 tests and Driver and DVSA enhanced rider scheme trainer theory tests from early 2019.
What driving instructors think of the new hazard perception test clips
“Most of my pupils have the same slot each week due to their schedules, and so only usually drive in the same light. Also, pupils learning in the summer months may not have even driven in rain so practicing in the video clips will help them think about how they will drive in these conditions in the future. Good thinking DVSA!” – Jessica Hanson, Driven to Success
“I think the new clips are a great idea – it will make learners think how weather can change the way they need to drive. We as instructors try our hardest to cover weather conditions but we cannot always show them. On the flip side, a lot of pupils think that once they have passed their theory test, they can forget about it!” – Ellis Wood, Driving with Ellis
‘It’s a good idea because no matter how good a driving instructor you are, sometimes you just can’t do this stuff on a practical level so to address it in another way can’t really be a bad thing. Yes, you can talk about weather conditions hypothetically with pupils but you can’t make it snow can you!”– Kathy Higgins, Insight 2 Drive
“It’s brilliant – it really enhances what the DVSA is offering learners. I think it’s about time too and am surprised these style of clips have not been included before. I always make sure I cover as many of these conditions as I can in lessons so pupils are at least aware of what they should be doing in such conditions.” – Nick Salzen, 17 Plus Driving School