CPR questions to be added to driving theory test

Learner drivers are to be quizzed on their CPR skills in an update to the theory test.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) – which oversees driving tests in Britain – said motorists are often “first on the scene” when someone suffers a cardiac arrest.

Adding questions on CPR and defibrillators to the theory test from early next year means candidates will “have a better understanding of the skills to use in an emergency”, it added.

More than 40,000 people in the UK suffer an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest each year, with fewer than one in 10 surviving.

Research has found survival rates can be as high as 70% if CPR is given and a defibrillator used within three to five minutes of collapse.

DVSA chief driving examiner Mark Winn said: “Part of being a safe and responsible driver is knowing what to do in an emergency – how to step in and make a real, life-saving difference.

“Learning CPR and how to use a defibrillator is a very simple skill, and adding this into the official learning resource is a great way for DVSA to support the drive to raise awareness.”

The push for the change was led by Professor Len Nokes – chair of the Save a Life Cymru scheme – whose 24-year-old daughter Claire died in 2017 from complications following a cardiac arrest.

He said: “When Claire, my daughter, had her cardiac arrest, some knowledge of CPR might have made a difference.

“I don’t want any other family to go through this experience.

“All of us in this partnership hope that by making CPR and how to use a defibrillator part of the theory test, we will be able to significantly increase the number of people who have this life-saving awareness.”

James Cant, chief executive of charity Resuscitation Council UK, said: “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.”

Learners must pass the theory driving test before booking a practical test.

Theory test candidates are required to get at least 43 out of 50 multiple-choice questions correct, covering areas such as road signs, traffic laws, vehicle safety and first aid.

They must also pass a hazard perception video test.

More than two million theory tests are taken each year, with a pass rate of about 45%.

Published: 13/08/2025 by Radio NewsHub