Learners can have driving test cancelled if car is dirty, warns DVSA
Cars used in driving tests must be cleared of any rubbish and have their controls wiped down
Driving tests will be cancelled if learners turn up with a dirty car, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has warned.
Under rules imposed to stop the spread of Covid-19, any car to be used in a practical driving test must have any rubbish removed from its dashboard, footwells, door pockets, cup holders and seats.
Furthermore, the learner or their instructor must wipe down the car’s dashboard and physical controls before the test commences, after which the examiner will conduct an additional clean of some surfaces.
The DVSA says that, if these steps are not taken, the test will not go ahead so as not to risk public safety.
The news comes after a widely reported case of a 17-year-old girl in Blackpool who had her practical test cancelled before it had even begun when the examiner refused to get into the passenger seat because of the presence of rubber filings in the interior. These were thought to have come from where the girl’s instructor had rubbed something out in his notebook.
Despite England having moved back to Covid ‘Plan A’ under the latest Government guidance, the DVSA is still requiring learner drivers to wear a face covering for the duration of their test unless they are exempt, and to have at least one window open on each side of the car.
The organisation did say, however, that it would review its rules in light of the latest Government guidance.
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