From autumn 2025, driving theory tests will include new CPR questions and, for the first time, questions about defibrillators to boost cardiac arrest survival.
Driving theory tests will include enhanced first aid questions from autumn 2025, building on existing first aid content that has been part of driver education for years.
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is expanding the theory test question bank to:
- include enhanced cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) content
- add questions about automated external defibrillators (AEDs) for the first time
The move aims to address the UK's low cardiac arrest survival rates by making sure more people know how to respond in emergencies.
Cardiac arrest: what it is
A cardiac arrest is when your heart suddenly stops pumping blood around your body. They can be caused by:
- dangerous heart rhythm disorders
- heart attack (this is when blood flow to part of the heart muscle is blocked, which can then trigger dangerous heart rhythms that stop the heart from pumping effectively)
- heart muscle and structural problems
- severe blood loss or oxygen shortage
- other factors, such as electrocution or drug overdoses
Signs and symptoms that suggest a person has gone into cardiac arrest include:
- they appear not to be breathing
- they're not moving
- they do not respond to any stimulation, such as being touched or spoken to
If you think somebody has gone into cardiac arrest
Call 999 (on speakerphone) immediately and start doing CPR.
If there is someone with you, ask them to find an AED and use it as soon as you can.
About the theory test
The driving theory test is taken by learner drivers before they can book their driving test. The test has 2 parts that are booked and taken together:
- multiple-choice questions - 50 questions drawn from a bank of over 700 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 spotting hazards on the road
You must pass both parts to pass the overall test.
The changes involve no additional cost, test time, or difficulty - they simply update existing first aid content with current best practice.
