Steve Jordan

More than 60,000 practical driving tests were cancelled due to examiners’ medical absences during 2025/26.

The findings add another challenge for learners and driving instructors already struggling with limited test availability.

For the DVSA, under pressure to cut waiting times, it underlines the issues of staff morale and workloads.

Not today, thank you
Analysis of DVSA data by learner-driver insurance specialist Tempcover found that 101,423 practical tests were cancelled between April 2025 and March 2026.

Although this was 16% lower than the 120,710 cancellations recorded in 2024/25, the total remained almost 36% higher than a decade ago, when 74,693 tests were cancelled.

Examiner sickness and medical appointments accounted for 60,092 cancellations, or 59% of the annual total.

A further 29,438 tests were cancelled because examiners were on leave, while 11,884 were disrupted by acts of nature, including severe weather.

Nine cancellations were attributed to disputes.

For the driver-training industry, the figures highlight how problems with examiner availability can directly impact carefully planned training programmes.

A short-notice cancellation can leave an instructor with a test-day lesson to rearrange, while learners may have to wait weeks or months for another appointment.

Pupils who have reached test standard may also need additional lessons to maintain their skills while waiting for a replacement.

Much of the DVSA’s focus on test cancellations has been on candidate cancellations, whereas the figures paint a different picture.

Motorists have been urged to “stay in their lane” rather than take matters into their own hands when confronted with drivers who hog the middle lane of motorways.

Centre Lane Only Driver (CLODS) have sparked a series of TikTok videos in which a content creator held up signs telling middle-lane drivers to move over.

The video has attracted more than 83,000 likes and thousands of comments, highlighting how strongly the issue resonates with motorists.

Persistent issue
The problem of drivers who hog the middle lane rather than move to the left lane after overtaking has been highlighted by the police, road safety experts and motoring organisations as an increasingly disruptive, congestion-stimulating and potentially dangerous habit.

However, road safety experts have warned that attempting to educate other drivers while on the move can create additional risks, particularly at motorway speeds.

Graham Conway, managing director of Select Car Leasing, said middle-lane hogging was one of the biggest frustrations for UK motorists, but warned against confronting offenders.

“Chastising other road-users about their driving standards is ill-advised at best and potentially dangerous at worst,” he said.

“You run the risk of getting yourself into a road rage altercation if others don’t take kindly to your advice, however well-meaning it might be.”

He also warned that attempts to attract another driver’s attention could distract them while travelling at up to 70mph.

August has recorded the highest average number of drink-drive casualties and collisions of any month over the past decade.

That’s according to analysis by the RAC.

It challenges the widely held perception that Christmas is the most dangerous time of year for alcohol-related road crashes.

Season’s Greetings
RAC analysis of newly released Government data covering Great Britain between 2014 and 2024 found that August averaged 721 drink-drive casualties from 485 collisions each year. J

July was close behind, with an average of 704 casualties and 474 collisions.

By comparison, December – traditionally associated with Christmas parties, festive celebrations and warnings about drink-driving – recorded an annual average of 663 casualties from 459 collisions.

The figures suggest that the risk increases significantly during the warmer months. Between June and August, there were on average 16% more drink-drive casualties than during the winter period from December to February. Drink-drive collisions were also 16% higher during summer.

The trend was still evident in the latest figures. In 2024, June recorded the highest number of drink-drive casualties and collisions, with 650 casualties and 440 collisions. Across June, July and August, there were 1,810 casualties and 1,220 collisions, compared with 1,570 casualties and 1,060 collisions during December, January and February.

A nationwide expansion of 20mph speed limits could play a major role in reducing deaths and serious injuries on England’s roads.

That is what MPs have been told, with road safety experts warning that lower urban speed limits are urgently needed to meet the government’s casualty reduction targets.

The Parliamentary Transport Committee is currently investigating the most effective ways to improve road safety in the UK in light of the government’s proposed Road Safety Strategy.

The evidence
The Transport Committee has heard evidence from a panel of four experts who argue that introducing 20mph limits more widely could reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured (KSI) by between 10% and 15%.

It is evidence that forms part of the committee’s scrutiny of the government’s proposed Road Safety Strategy, which aims to reduce road deaths and serious injuries by 65% by 2035.

It also targets reducing child KSIs by 70%, with supporters of lower speed limits arguing that children and other vulnerable road users could benefit significantly from slower traffic.

The panel included Adrian Barendt, director of campaign group 20’s Plenty for Us; Phil Jones, chairman of transport planning consultancy PJA, who oversaw the rollout of 20mph limits in Wales; Lilli Matson, chief safety, health and environment officer at Transport for London; and pre-critical care doctor Rob Török.

Preparing Your Car for the HeatCheck your tyres: High road temperatures increase pressure and the risk of a blowout. Inspect tread and check pressures when tyres are cold.Inspect fluid levels: Ensure your engine coolant and oil are topped up to prevent the engine from overheating in stop-start traffic.Test the battery: Intense heat can speed up battery wear and lead to unexpected failures.Staying Safe on the RoadWatch the temperature gauge: If your engine starts to run hot or enters the red zone, pull over safely immediately and switch off the engine.Fight the glare: Use polarized sunglasses and keep your windscreen clean to maintain visibility against bright summer sunshine.Take regular breaks: Stop every two hours on long trips to combat fatigue caused by warm cabin temperatures.Protecting Passengers and PetsNever leave dependents behind: Cabin temperatures rise to dangerous levels in minutes, even with windows cracked open.Manage cabin airflow: Use fresh air to clear initial hot air, then switch to recirculation mode once the air conditioning cools the interior.

Driving anxiety is affecting how, when and where millions of motorists travel.

Many drivers are deliberately changing their routes, avoiding journeys and steering clear of situations that make them feel uncomfortable.

As anxiety continues to wreak havoc across the whole demographic of society, the young are finding driving is an increasingly difficult area of life to deal with.

Can’t do this
A survey commissioned by automotive retailer Dick Lovett found that 40% of drivers deliberately take longer routes to avoid stressful roads, junctions or driving situations, while 35% have avoided travelling somewhere altogether because of driving anxiety.

The research suggests the problem is particularly pronounced among younger motorists, with more than one in three drivers aged 18 to 24 – 36% – saying they avoid driving whenever possible.

More than half (52%) of younger drivers also deliberately change their routes to avoid roads they find intimidating, while 48% say they become more anxious when driving with passengers.

However, driving anxiety is not restricted to young or newly qualified motorists.

Overall, 23% of drivers say they avoid driving as much as possible, while 32% feel more anxious when driving with other passengers than when driving alone.

Wide space
Parking is another significant source of stress.

More than a third (36%) of all drivers say they feel anxious parking in front of other people, highlighting how the fear of being judged by fellow motorists can affect confidence behind the wheel.

The biggest anxiety trigger identified by the research was driving at night or in poor weather, selected by 38% of respondents as their greatest concern.

The research also identified significant differences between age groups.

Younger drivers were the only age category to identify motorway driving as their biggest source of anxiety, while motorists aged 55 and over were significantly more likely to be concerned about driving at night or in poor weather conditions.

Women consistently reported higher levels of driving anxiety than men, including when carrying passengers, parking in public and avoiding journeys because of concerns about driving.

More than half of e-bike riders observed at major UK junctions are now going through red lights.

New research commissioned by dash-cam manufacturer Nextbase reveals the growing road safety issue.

As e-scooter and e-bike numbers rise dramatically, without effective regulation, concerns are growing about road safety and the protection of vulnerable road users.

Plugged in, switched off.
The Nextbase study found that 54% of e-bike riders observed during the research failed to stop at red traffic lights, a sharp increase from 45% the previous year.

The proportion of e-scooter riders breaking the rules also increased, from 20% to 24%, while 19% of conventional pedal cyclists were seen going through red lights, unchanged from the previous year.

These findings are based on observations of more than 31,000 interactions at 78 major junctions in London, Manchester and Glasgow during peak travel periods.

It found the most serious hotspot was the junction of Finsbury Park and Stroud Green Road in north London, where 86% of people on bikes, e-bikes and other two-wheeled vehicles were recorded going through a red light.

Eight of the ten junctions with the highest levels of red-light violations were in London.

The number of people killed on Britain’s roads has fallen.

However, the number killed or seriously injured has increased.

New figures for drink-driving show it continues to account for hundreds of deaths every year, prompting warnings that progress on road safety is stalling.

Wheel of fortune
Final road casualty figures for 2025 published by the Department for Transport show that 1,538 people died in reported road collisions in Great Britain during 2025, down from 1,602 in 2024.

However, the number of people killed or seriously injured (KSI) rose to 29,918, a 4% increase on the 29,467 recorded in 2024.

The total number of casualties of all severities was broadly unchanged at 127,883, compared with 128,272 in 2024.

The figures provide a mixed picture of road safety in Britain. Fatalities are continuing to fall, but the increase in serious injuries suggests that the long-term decline in road casualties has slowed significantly.

The continuing improvement in car safety, including automatic emergency braking, has undoubtedly improved road casualty figures over the last two decades, but the question remains whether driving skills have improved.

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Behind every review is someone who has overcome nerves, developed new skills and gained the confidence to drive independently. Being trusted to guide learners through that journey is a privilege that is never taken for granted.

Thank you for your wonderful feedback and recommendation. It means a great deal to know that the support, encouragement and structured training provided throughout your lessons has made such a positive difference.

At County Driving Academy, we’re passionate about creating safe, confident drivers for life—not simply helping people pass a test.

If you’re ready to begin your own driving journey, we’d be delighted to help you every step of the way.

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A huge thank you for taking the time to leave such a wonderful five-star review. Knowing that our lessons have helped build confidence, improve driving skills and make learning an enjoyable experience means a great deal.

At County Driving Academy, every lesson is carefully planned to suit the individual. Whether you’re feeling nervous before your first lesson or preparing for your practical test, our aim is to provide structured, client-centred training that helps you become a safe, confident and independent driver for life.

Thank you once again for your trust and recommendation. It has been a pleasure being part of your driving journey.

If you’re ready to start your own journey towards passing your driving test with confidence, we’d love to hear from you.

📞 07413 365348