WHEN 17-year-old Daniel Smith from Stratton took his practical driving test at Launceston Test Centre on Monday, March 27, he received a very pleasant surprise at the end when the DVSA examiner told him he had driven very well and passed with no driver faults whatsoever!

The examiner congratulated Daniel for a perfect drive during which she had felt very safe throughout and said no ‘de-brief’ was necessary.

Daniel began learning with Andrew Pitt Driving School as soon as he was 17; he has also been driving with his dad, which gave him extra practice in his journey to becoming a safe driver.

Daniel proved himself to be a competent driver in all aspects of the driving test, which has changed vastly in recent years. The test is set to change again before too long as the DVSA seeks to introduce a SAT-Nav element, drop the turn in the road and left reverse exercises from the test, in an effort to equip new drivers for the roads today, which are so much busier and complex from when it was first introduced in Britain in 1934.

Daniel is now looking forward to many safe and happy hours of driving.

Greg Gillbard also passed his driving test recently with no faults, having learnt with Launceston-based instructor Richard Broczek.