Changes to the driving test won’t go far enough to tackle dangerous habits according to a third of drivers who took part in a survey.
From December 4, the new-look test will include following instructions from a satnav and a period of independent driving doubled to 20 minutes.
It will also feature a refreshed selection of manoeuvres deemed more realistic, such as parallel parking rather than reversing round a corner.
The changes, which were trialled for two years, represent the most significant shake-up of the test since the written theory exam was introduced in 1996.
When the measures were announced by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) in April, the government said they would help save lives by improving standards.
But a survey of 2,000 UK drivers for insurance comparison firm Confused.com found 33% do not think they will sufficiently increase road safety.
Almost three out of four (73%) want a motorway section to be added to the test, while two-thirds (66%) are in favour of making learners drive at night.
Some 80% of respondents believe driving etiquette should be taught in a bid to reduce middle lane hogging, tailgating and vehicles cutting in at the last moment.
Confused.com motoring editor Amanda Stretton said: “To make roads safer, drivers believe more practical changes should have been included in the new updates.
“To help improve the quality of driving, there is a valid argument that new drivers should be taught general road etiquette and how to treat fellow drivers.
“This could help to minimise stress levels, road rage and the risk of accidents.”
Driving instructor Simon Carne also warned some changes “aren’t going to make people safer”.
He described one of the new manoeuvres - pulling up on the right hand side of the road, reversing for two car lengths and then rejoining traffic - as “unnecessarily dangerous” due to oncoming vehicles.
Mr Carne also criticised the removal of the three-point turn from the test, saying the decision “disappoints many of the instructors I’ve spoken to”.
He said: “We all feel that this is a really important thing for students to learn. It’s a really practical thing, which was the whole point of the changes. All drivers have to do it and it’s a shame that it won’t be part of the new test.”
He said he hoped the DVSA would “take some of our opinions and comments on board”.
The DVSA said the aim was to reduce the focus on slow speed manoeuvres on quiet roads.
It explained that this would allow examiners to better assess the ability of learners to drive safely in busier areas, where new drivers have the most crashes.
The changes involve four additions to the practical driving test, each of which will build on existing elements of the current exam.
They include following satnav directions and 20 minutes of independent driving.
Reversing around a corner and three-point turn manoeuvres are to be replaced with more “real-life scenarios”.
Also, one of two vehicle safety questions will be asked while the candidate is driving.
The changes respond to the increased use of driver technology, and to figures showing road collisions are the leading cause of death among young people aged 15-24.
They were trialled by more than 4,500 learner drivers and 850 instructors at 32 sites.
During the trials, Steve Gooding, director of the RAC Foundation, said the new-look test would better reflect the real world.
“These proposed changes recognise that it is more important for candidates to demonstrate the capability to drive independently on high-risk roads than being able to reverse flawlessly into a quiet cul-de-sac,” he said.
“The new approach will be deemed a success if, in the longer term, it produces better-prepared drivers and we experience fewer road casualties.”
Data held by the DVSA for 2015/16 shows Guildford has the best-performing theory test centre across Surrey and west London, with a pass rate of 54.1%.
It is followed by Southwark (52.9%), Kingston (52%), Watford (49.5%), Staines (48.9%), Aldershot (48%) and Uxbridge (43.5%).
The numbers were analysed by vehicle finance website Moneybarn.com, which found Guildford’s driving theory test centre ranked fifth in the country while Uxbridge trails third from bottom.
The top theory test centre nationally is Limehouse C in east London, while the worst in the country is Bradford.
Moneybarn.com also found that Surrey has a 50.4% overall pass rate for practical driving tests, while in Greater London the pass rate is 41.2%.
The highest pass rate is 70% in the Orkney Islands, while the lowest is 39.8% in the West Midlands.
According to the DVSA data for 2015/16, the best-performing practical test centre in the Surrey and west London area was Farnborough with a pass rate of 55.2%.
It was followed (in descending order) by Reigate (52%), Chertsey (51.5%), Tolworth (49.7%), Ashford (48.6%), Sutton (48.1%), Watford (47.7%), Borehamwood (47.7%), Morden (46.8%), Guildford (46.4%), Hendon (45.8%), Uxbridge (45.3%), Pinner (45.2%), Isleworth (43.1%), Mill Hill (43.1%), Greenford (40.6%), Southall (37.9%) and Hayes (37.7%).
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