Meet the Leicester mum who has changed the UK driving theory test after personal loss
The mother of a Leicester[1] boy who was killed on a so-called smart motorway has helped to change the UK driving theory test for millions across the country. Meera Naran's hard work now means the test will include the basics of CPR[2] for learners. Ms Naran lost her son Dev in 2018, when he was just eight years old.
The collision happened on a hard shoulder being used as a live motorway lane on the M6 in Birmingham after Dev's grandfather's car, which had stopped in the hard shoulder, was struck by a lorry travelling at 56mph. Since then, Meera, a De Montfort University[3] lecturer, has dedicated her life to campaigning for road safety[4], serving as an independent road safety advisor and sitting on several national working groups involving the police, ambulance and fire services. She proposed the change to the theory test which has now been approved and will see all would-be drivers learn the basics of CPR and how to use a defibrillator before taking to the roads.
Meera Naran with her son Dev (Image: DMU)The change will affect around 2.5 million people who take either a car driving test, or motorcycle test[5] each year, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) said.
Official material for learner drivers has already been updated, and questions about CPR and defibrillators will start appearing in driving theory tests in early 2026. Meera, who was awarded an MBE for services to road safety in 2021, said: "I welcome this significant milestone in road safety which focuses on post-crash care. Raising awareness of this vital, life-saving skill could increase the chance of survival not only in the immediate aftermath of a road crash, but also in our everyday lives.
"My heartfelt thanks go to the Department for Transport, and the DVSA, as well as to the multidisciplinary teams and all the other stakeholders who have been involved in making this happen." Meera also lost her 16-year-old son, Neel, in October 2024 to the life limiting condition, refractory epilepsy. She said: "My children would now be turning 16 and 17 - two teenage boys nearing driving age.
Having lost them both in very different circumstances, I know that waiting for emergency services can feel like an eternity, and in that moment, every second counts. This is an opportunity to not only educate and raise awareness for our young adults but also for our nation." The DVSA said the changes to the UK Driving Theory Test will help reduce pressure of the NHS[6].
They said the changes will also improve cardiac arrest survival rates and increase the number of people in the UK with lifesaving skills.
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References
- ^ Leicester (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
- ^ basics of CPR (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
- ^ De Montfort University (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
- ^ road safety (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
- ^ car driving test, or motorcycle test (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
- ^ pressure of the NHS (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
- ^ We are now bringing you the latest updates on WhatsApp first (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)