Major 2026 driving rule change will affect thousands of people

A significant change to driving rules is set to affect hundreds of thousands of people when it comes into effect in 2026.

From the new year, driving theory tests will incorporate new CPR questions and, for the first time, queries about defibrillators to enhance cardiac arrest survival rates.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has confirmed it is broadening the theory test question bank to include more detailed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) content and to introduce questions about automated external defibrillators (AEDs) for the first time, building on existing first aid content that has been a part of driver education for years.

This initiative aims to tackle the UK's low cardiac arrest survival rates by ensuring more people are equipped to respond in emergencies.

The driving theory test, which learner drivers must pass before they can book their practical driving test, consists of two parts that are booked and taken together: 50 multiple-choice questions covering topics from road signs and traffic laws to vehicle safety, hazard awareness and first aid, and a video hazard perception test.

Both parts must be passed to succeed in the overall test. The DVSA has confirmed that the changes will not involve any additional cost, test time, or difficulty - they simply update existing first aid content with current best practice.

Approximately 2.4 million theory tests are conducted annually, with a pass rate of 45.7% recorded between July and September 2024. This implies that each year, hundreds of thousands of individuals will acquire life-saving skills through the improved questions.