Learner drivers quizzed on lifesaving CPR skills in theory test update

Resuscitation Council UK has partnered with the DVSA to encourage learner drivers to learn lifesaving CPR skills in a move that could boost cardiac arrest survival rates.

Questions on basic CPR and defibrillator use will be added to the car and motorcycle theory test in early 2026. Learners are encouraged to prepare by picking these skills up early.

Drivers are often first on the scene when someone suffers a cardiac arrest. Adding this information into the official learning materials means that the 2.4 million learner drivers who take their theory test each year will have a better understanding of the skills to use in an emergency.

This is part of a partnership with DVSA and leading national organisations including the Save a Life programmes in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland and Resuscitation Council UK, the leading healthcare charity responsible for setting CPR guidelines.

Official learning materials have already been updated to give learner drivers time to familiarise themselves with the new content. This includes The Official DVSA Guide to Driving – the essential skills and The Official DVSA Guide to the Theory Test for Car Drivers, with updates to motorcycle publications to follow.

In the UK, over 40,000 people suffer an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest each year, with fewer than 1 in 10 surviving - but if CPR is given and a defibrillator used within 3-5 minutes of collapse, survival rates could be as high as 70%.

James Cant, CEO of Resuscitation Council UK, said: “We’re delighted to be working with the DVSA and other partners to introduce CPR and defibrillator awareness into the driving theory test.

“By embedding these lifesaving 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.”

The push for the vital update was spearheaded by Save a Life Cymru Chair Professor Len Nokes, whose 24-year-old daughter Claire tragically died in 2017 from complications following a cardiac arrest.

Professor Len Nokes 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 lifesaving awareness.”

Mark Winn, DVSA Chief Driving Examiner, added: “Part of being a safe and responsible driver is knowing what to do in an emergency – how to step in and make a real, lifesaving 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.”

Resuscitation Council UK has created a centralised information hub, featuring a comprehensive guidance on performing CPR from the UK's leading resuscitation organisations.

Wed, 13/08/2025

GOV.UK news story on introducing CPR and defibrillator skills into the theory test.

Safe Driving for Life, a collaboration between the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency and its official publisher TSO - official theory test learning materials.

According to data from YouGov for the Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrest Outcomes (OHCAO) team at Warwick University, more than half of the country would be reluctant to perform CPR due to fear of causing more harm than good.

Further information about organisations involved in the theory test update:

The landmark update follows a collaboration between the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) and Resuscitation Council UK, Save a Life Cymru, Save a Life Scotland, and Save a Life Northern Ireland.

Resuscitation Council UK is saving lives by developing guidelines, inﬂuencing policy, delivering courses and supporting cutting-edge research. Through education, training and research, the organisation works towards the day when everyone in the country has the skills they need to save a life. Updated guidelines for 2025 will be published in October.

Save a Life Cymru was established in 2019 by Welsh Government.

Since 1 July 2025, the programme has moved into the Welsh Ambulance Service University NHS Trust (WAST) to focus on increasing public awareness of CPR and the importance of defibrillators across communities to increase Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrest survival in Wales. Professor Len Nokes’s role within WAST has now developed to be the Independent Senior Advisor for Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrest.

Save a Life Scotland is a partnership between the emergency services, third sector organisations, Scottish Government and academic researchers that campaigns to save lives by changing the way we think about out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCA).

Since 2015, they have achieved their original aim of equipping an additional 500,000 people living in Scotland with CPR skills. Survival after OHCA has increased significantly. Before the launch of the first Strategy in 2015, only around 1 in 20 people survived to leave hospital after OHCA. By 2020 this number had doubled to 1 in 10.

Save a Life Northern Ireland aim to improve survivability from OHCA.

The partnership includes the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service Health and Social Care Trust, who alert community first responders to specific 999 emergencies, aiming to reach the patient before arrival of an ambulance crew. In the vital early minutes that matter most, volunteers can provide basic emergency life support and use a defibrillator if required.

CPR on the theory test

The driving theory test is taken by learner drivers before they can book their practical driving test. The test has 2 parts that are booked and taken together:

multiple-choice questions - 50 questions covering topics from road signs and traffic laws to vehicle safety, hazard awareness and first aid. Learners must get at least 43 out of 50 right to pass this section
hazard perception - a video test about identifying developing hazards on the road

You must pass both parts to pass the overall test.

Over 2 million theory tests are taken each year, with a pass rate of 45% between April 2023 and March 2024.This means that in preparing for their test and studying for the enhanced questions, hundreds of thousands of people annually will gain knowledge of life-saving skills.

Common scenarios where drivers might need CPR skills include:

road traffic incidents - following vehicle collisions, people may suffer cardiac arrest due to trauma, shock, or underlying medical conditions made worse by the stress of an incident
roadside emergencies - drivers can encounter people who have collapsed at bus stops, service stations, or while walking along roads - these may include joggers suffering sudden cardiac arrest, elderly pedestrians, or people with underlying heart conditions who collapse in public spaces
service area incidents - at motorway services, petrol stations, and car parks, drivers witness medical emergencies where their intervention could save lives before professional help arrives breakdowns - when assisting someone with a broken-down vehicle, drivers may encounter people experiencing medical emergencies, particularly older drivers or those with pre-existing health conditions who become distressed during vehicle problems.