Hit The Brakes

Recently, while observing a learner driver during a test, I witnessed something that left me deeply concerned about the direction of driver training in the UK.

Before the test began, the examiner reminded the candidate that they could not seek help from their instructor during the assessment.

He then shared a troubling incident from a previous test: a learner, who had never practised the Emergency Stop during lessons, looked to their instructor for guidance when asked to perform it.

This was more than a moment of confusion; it was a warning sign.

What it revealed is a growing and dangerous trend in our industry, that some instructors are no longer prioritising the Emergency Stop because it appears less frequently in the driving test.

The consequences of this shift in driver training priorities poses a real risk to the safety of future motorists and all other road users.

Start to stop

The Emergency Stop is not simply another manoeuvre.

It is a life‑saving skill that prepares drivers to react instantly and decisively when a sudden hazard appears — a child stepping into the road, a vehicle stopping abruptly, or an unexpected obstruction.

One essential point must be absolutely clear: during an Emergency Stop, drivers are not required to check their mirrors before braking.

This is the only situation in driving where a mirror check is not expected, because in a genuine emergency, there is no time, and preserving life takes priority over everything else.

Braking must be significantly firmer than in normal driving, where progressive braking remains the safest and smoothest method in everyday situations.

For any driver, the need to brake as hard as for an Emergency Stop should be extremely rare.

A good driver constantly identifies hazards early, scans the road ahead, and uses the MSM routine (Mirrors, Signal, Manoeuvre – which I call Motorists’ Safest Medicine) to ensure early, safe, and controlled stopping.

Anticipation prevents emergencies, but when the unexpected does happen, the Emergency Stop is the only technique that can save a life.

If learners are not taught this distinction and not given the opportunity to practise the technique, they will not be prepared for real‑world emergencies.

Hesitation or incorrect braking could cost lives.

Declining standards

The reduced frequency of the Emergency Stop in the driving test was intended to streamline assessments, not to diminish training quality.

However, the unintended consequence is clearly that some instructors are omitting this vital exercise altogether.

When a learner reaches test standard without ever practising an Emergency Stop, something has gone seriously and dangerously wrong.

This is not about criticising individual instructors, but about recognising how policy changes can influence behaviour across the industry.

When something is rarely tested, it risks being treated as optional, even when it is essential.

We need you

 
Because of the life‑saving importance of this skill, I am making a clear and urgent request to the entire driver training community.

I ask all driver trainers, whether trainee or fully qualified (PDI or ADI), to ensure that the Emergency Stop is taught thoroughly, confidently, and consistently during lessons.

This is not an optional extra, but a fundamental skill that every learner must experience and understand before they are allowed to drive independently on our roads.

I also urge all Instructor Training Schools, responsible for preparing future instructors, to embed this exercise firmly within their training syllabus.

If instructor trainees are not taught the correct principles, reasoning, and safety considerations behind emergency braking, this new trend will continue to gain momentum to the detriment of all of our road safety.

We cannot allow a generation of new instructors to qualify without mastering and valuing this essential technique and instilling it in their training programme.

A constructive proposal 

I respectfully request that the Government and policymakers increase the frequency of the Emergency Stop within the driving test.

The reduced emphasis in recent years is now visibly influencing training behaviour in unintended and unsafe ways, and leaving new drivers unprepared.

Reinstating its prominence would help ensure that every learner driver receives the full, life‑saving preparation they deserve.

At the very least, if increasing the frequency of the Emergency Stop during the test is not immediately feasible, I would encourage the Government and DVSA to consider including specific Emergency Stop questions within the Show Me, Tell Me section of the test.

Even a small number of targeted questions would reinforce the importance of this skill and ensure that learners understand when and how to perform it correctly.

This simple adjustment would keep the Emergency Stop visible within the test framework and encourage instructors to continue teaching it thoroughly.

However, their is no real substitution for the real and essential experience of the Emergency Stop

A skill for life

The Emergency Stop is not just a test manoeuvre — it is a critical real‑world skill that protects lives.

If we fail to teach it, we fail in our duty to prepare safe, responsible, and confident drivers for the future.

Now is the time for instructors, training schools, and policymakers to work together to ensure that this vital exercise remains at the heart of driver education.