The British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association has warned British drivers about issues they might face when leasing cars and driving abroad, as digital driving licences become the norm across the world.

Drivers warned about 'digital' licences when driving abroad

Experts have issued a warning to all British drivers about 'digital' driving licences, which may cause issues when you try to drive abroad.

Although digital driving licences aren't legal or used in the UK, they're becoming more common across other parts of the world.

Australia, New Zealand and some US states are among those who have implemented the change as they aim to provide a more modern experience for the drivers in their country.

The British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA) has said that individuals and businesses may start to find it more difficult for rental companies to verify their UK licence.

They stated: "There is nothing within the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic at Annexes 6 or 7 about the validity of a digital permit, nor is there anything within other pertinent legislation."

"Members may wish to consider adding something to their booking process, stating that a digital driving licence is not accepted in the UK and therefore a physical licence will need to be presented and/or an International Driving Permit."

In Queensland, Australia, digital driving licences have been accepted and commonly used since 2020, whilst New Zealand recently launched an app that allows users to pay for road user charges like vehicle registration.

Although British drivers will need to bring extra documentation with them to certain countries, the DVLA is beginning the process of digitising the industry with new online features introduced last year.

British drivers can now see their licence information, vehicle details, MOT status, penalty points and more in one centralised place. They can also use the website to update their contact details.

Julie Lennard, chief executive of the DVLA, spearheaded this innovative change, and said that more features would be added in due course.

The UK's new transport secretary has hit out at websites re-selling driving tests for a profit, calling them "unacceptable".

DfT boss slams 'dodgy' websites re-selling driving tests

As learners are becoming increasingly frustrated with the lack of tests available, many are turning to online websites and social media to buy their driving tests at a higher price.

These tests are booked using bots. They're able to enter information faster than a human, meaning any available tests are quickly taken by those looking to sell the slot.

Transport Secretary Louise Haigh has called this practice "unacceptable", and said that tackling the DVSA backlog was a "key priority" for the new Labour government.

Wait times are also getting longer thanks to an increase in learners booking tests before they're ready.

The DVSA says that 8.2% of learners are booking a practical test before taking any driving lessons.

An extra 145,000 tests were made available between October 2023 and March 2024 in an attempt to try to tackle the growing backlog.

Despite that, 65,534 driving tests were cancelled in the year up to March 2024 with annual leave, industrial action, bad weather, examiner sickness and coronavirus cited as reasons for cancelling.

Cities with the longest wait-times revealed

After a Freedom of Information request from the BBC, the DVSA have revealed that driving test wait times are 4 and a half months on average across all of England, Scotland and Wales, as of May 2024.

It's also been revealed that a staggering 81 of the 242 test centres (33.5%) across England, Scotland and Wales have wait times of 24 weeks, or 6 months.

Most of the test centres with the longest waiting times are based in the South of England, with several in London appearing on the list.

Cities such as Bristol, Bradford, Portsmouth and Southampton are also struggling with test-centre wait times of 24 weeks.

According to evidence seen by the BBC, brokers are using WhatsApp, Snapchat and other social media platforms to sell driving tests for upwards of £200. Desperate learners who need to pass their test quickly for their personal or work lives are forking out the money to avoid waiting for months.

The DVSA has said it is using artificial intelligence to try to prevent tests from being booked by bots, and is actively banning and suspending accounts who exhibit suspicious activity.

The DVLA has released new stats showing the number of elderly drivers on the road is higher than ever before, leading to renewed calls for mandatory fitness tests to continue driving once you reach a certain age.

Calls for elderly drivers to undergo mandatory fitness test

Last year, the DVLA recorded more than 40 million in the UK with a licence. The proportion of drivers aged 70 or above has also increased from 45% in 2002 to 73% in 2022.

This shows that driving is the most common mode of transport for elderly people, but there are concerns that the frailty and diminishing reaction times as you age could be dangerous.

John Wilmot, the CEO of LeaseLoco, commented:

"The number of qualified drivers on UK roads has reached record levels, showing that travelling by car continues to be the main and most convenient form of transport, particularly for older people."

Meanwhile, Steve Gooding from The RAC Foundation said: "Active motorists aged over 80 tend to be very aware of their abilities and self-regulate their driving avoiding, for example, driving at night or in the rush hour."

"The challenge is that as we age our bodies become more frail, so older people caught up in collisions tend to suffer worse injuries something car designers should have at the front of their mind."

He explained, "One thing that would allow all drivers not just those at an arbitrary old age to help judge their fitness to drive would be compulsory eye tests when licences are renewed."

As it stands, drivers over 70 must renew their licence every three years, but they aren't required to undergo any further testing.

The new Transport Secretary Louise Haigh has detailed 5 key areas the Department for Transport will be focusing on as part of the government's wider strategies.

New Transport Secretary unveils 5 key focuses

The new Transport Secretary Louise Haigh has revealed her 5 key focuses and promised the biggest overhaul to transport in a generation. The ambitious plan was unveiled alongside the Department for Transport's new motto: "Move fast and fix things."

As the dust settles and a new government take the reigns after 14 years, big plans and overhauls are to be expected.

The Department for Transport (DfT) is no exception, and Haigh met with officials on Monday 8th June to lay out her key focus areas during her tenure as Transport Secretary:

Improve efficiency and reliability of railways.

Improve bus services across the country and increase their usage

Development of infrastructure to tackle social mobility and regional inequality

Better integration across different transport modes

Haigh also highlighted how the DfT's focuses go hand-in-hand with the government's wider objectives. She said, "It will take all our effort but the new motto of our department – our purpose – is simple: move fast and fix things.

“Our department is so clearly central to achieving the missions for government that the Prime Minister has committed us to.

“Growth, net zero, opportunity, women and girls’ safety, health – none of these can be realised without transport as a key enabler."

Three new ministers have been appointed to the department to help oversee the plans. Lilian Greenwood MP is the new Future of Roads Minister, Simon Lightwood MP is the Local Transport Minister, and Mike Kane MP is the Aviation, Maritime and Security Minister.

You can read the entirety of Louise Haigh's statement in the department's press release here.

A motoring research charity has called for driving test fees to be raised for those who fail multiple times. According to the RAC Foundation, this will help reduce waiting times.

RAC calls for higher test fees for repeated fails

A motoring research charity has called for driving test fees to be raised for those who fail multiple times.

The RAC Foundation says this will encourage learners to only take tests when they're ready — something the DVSA has been focused on since the launch of their Ready to Pass? campaign in July 2022.

Driving tests were paused during parts of the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to backlogs that are still being felt to this day.

According to DVSA figures, 93,204 of the car driving tests taken between March 2023 and March 2024 were the candidate's sixth or more attempt.

RAC Foundation director Steve Gooding has urged the government to introduce higher fees for candidates who fail multiple times, as well as a rebate for those who pass first time.

He told the PA news agency: “Forget about all the traffic jams out on the road, there is now an unacceptable amount of congestion in the test system with learners often waiting many months for a slot.

“In part these jams are being caused by people who have failed multiple times and come back to take a test that might be their fourth, fifth or sixth attempt, or even greater.

“An improved pass rate would help drive down the understandable backlog, and if you incentivise people to pass first time there is also a case for adding a modest premium to the test fee for those who have already failed on several occasions.”

Mr Gooding said the figures show that learners “keep throwing themselves back into tests without being properly prepared”.

He went on: “A higher fee might persuade them not to resit their test until they are more likely to pass.

“If you can improve the pass rate, this means more learners avoiding the financial and time costs associated with repeated disappointments at the test centre.”

However, Nicholas Lyes, director of policy and standards at road safety charity IAM RoadSmart, argued that whilst raising fees “might seem reasonable”, the government must be careful about increasing motoring costs.

He added: “Moreover, a looming threat of higher subsequent test costs could be unnecessary pressure we’re adding to somebody’s first test.

“Ultimately, driving instructors in consultation with the learner driver are best placed to decide on when somebody is ready to take their practical test.”

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Drivers warned about 'digital' licences when driving abroad

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