UK updates driving test for safety, cuts stops and emergency stops, but 22-week wait persists due to shortages and bots.

The UK's DVSA has updated the driving test to improve safety, requiring more time on faster rural roads following a trial, due to high crash rates among young drivers in such areas. Changes also reduce required stops from four to three and lower emergency stop frequency. Despite these reforms, average wait times remain at 22 weeks as of September 2025, with the backlog expected to persist until November 2027 due to examiner shortages and third-party booking bots, prompting some learners to pay up to £500 for slots.