New skills needed for driving theory test and when exam will change

The DVSA has revealed that the drivingtheory test will now include questions on CPRand defibrillator use. The department hopes this move will educate millions each year in these life-saving skills, thereby increasing survival rates from cardiac arrest and easing pressure on the NHS.

For those feeling nervous about the new additions to the test, we sought clarification from the Resuscitation Council, the leading healthcare charity responsible for setting CPR guidelines. The organisation confirmed that the questionswill focus on basic CPR and defibrillator use and will only be added to the car and motorcycle theory test in early 2026.

According to the organisation, effective CPR skills can be learned or self-taught in less than 15 minutes. This gives future drivers ample time to acquire these new required skills before the rules come into effect.

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Official learning materials have already been updated, so those wishing to study can utilise the Official DVSA Guide to Driving or the new Resuscitation Council hub,which offers free training resources. Updates to motorcycle publications are expected to follow shortly.

The new questions will be entirely theory-based and set by the DVSA, meaning learners won't need to physically demonstrate their skills in a practical manner.

The DVSA won't reveal the precise questions learners will face, but has provided some examples. This includes a multiple-choice question about who can operate a public access defibrillator, also known as an AED. The options range from paramedics only to first aiders only, doctors only, and everyone.

The organisation explained that this change is being implemented now in hopes that the 2.4 million people sitting their theory test annually will acquire life-saving skills before taking to the roads. According to the Resuscitation Council, 41% of the UK population has received CPR training within the past decade.

In the UK, over 40,000 people experience an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest annually, with fewer than one in 10 surviving - but if CPR is administered and a defibrillator deployed within three to five minutes of collapse, survival rates could reach as high as 70%.

CEO of Resuscitation Council UK, James Cant, said: "We're delighted to be working with the DVSA and other partners to introduce CPR and defibrillator awareness into the driving theory test.

"By embedding these life-saving skills into such a widely taken assessment, we can help ensure that more people, from all communities, gain the knowledge and confidence to act during a cardiac arrest."

Recent research from the European Resuscitation Council discovered that 44% of European countries mandate citizens to undergo basic life support courses for certain driving licences. This includes CPR and defibrillator awareness.