The DVLA has shared statistics which show where the hardest and easiest places to pass a driving test are in the UK, based on data collected from 2015 to 2016. Interestingly, just 48% of the 1.3 million driving tests conducted each year were passed. At a cost of £62 per test, this means that Britons are spending a staggering £42 million a year on failing their driving tests.
While this appears quite lucrative for the DVLA, it’s worth remembering that it has to fund the operation of 380 test centres across the UK, including 2,000 examiners. The DVLA also has to fund the services it provides for the UK’s 46.5 million driving licence holders.
Based on the DVLA data, the most difficult places to pass include Glasgow City, Greater London, and Bedfordshire. The worst pass rate in the country is in the West Midlands, at just 39.8%.
The DVLA has also shared information about the test centres with the lowest pass rates. Many of these are in Greater London, including Belvedere (with a 28% pass rate), Wanstead (32% pass rate), and Barnet and Erith (both with a 33% pass rate).
It is unsurprising that the lowest driving test pass rates are found in areas with higher congestion, more complex road signage, and a greater number of potential hazards to look out for, while higher pass rates are more common in rural areas. The places that are more likely to see driving test success are the Orkney Islands, Shetland, Northumberland, and Powys, with the top three driving centre pass rates being found in the Highlands: Golspie (80%), Mallaig (77%), and Ullapool (76%).
Further data analysis shows that males are more likely to pass their practical driving test, whereas females are more likely to pass their theory test. Furthermore, 48% of learner drivers pass their practical test the first time, while a further 25% pass on their second attempt. Just 2% of those who pass first time round do so with no faults.
At the other end of the scale, 2% of learner drivers take six or more tests before they are awarded their driving licence.
Driving test changes on the way
There are plans in place to change the format of practical driving tests later this year to include longer independent driving sections. The changes means that those taking their test will be required to use a sat nav to show that they are capable of doing so. This is in line with changes in the way that people are now driving due to the introduction of this technology.
The revised tests will also see the elimination of certain manoeuvres, such as reversing around a corner and turning in the road. They will be replaced by more relevant, day-to-day manoeuvres, like safely driving in and out of parking spaces.
The government has also proposed that learner drivers should be able to drive on motorways with their driving instructor, in a dual-controlled car, to give them experience on this road type before they pass their test.
An overwhelming 79% of motorists stated that they thought this would be a good idea in a survey carried out by the RAC, with 78% saying that they thought it would improve the ways that new drivers use the motorway network, and just 3% believing that it would have a negative effect on driving standards.
However, this may not be practical to include as a mandatory part of a driving test, due to many learner drivers living nowhere near a motorway and therefore not having easy access to one for lessons.
With these aspects to consider, it does seem that learning to drive in a rural area has its advantages, certainly when it comes to passing a practical driving test. However, this may not prepare drivers for those times when they do head into areas with higher congestion.
Do you think the driving test has got easier or harder over the years? Do you welcome plans to update the driving test to include sat navs and parking safely? Let us know in the comments below.
Getting people to use a Sat Nav is not going to improve their Driving skills, I think this will take up too much of the examiners time. One thing that I have noticed is that it dose not say if the people that fail were taught by a Driving School or private. It would be far better if the DVLA were to make it compulsory to be taught by a Driving school before taking the test, at the present time there is no requirement for anyone to be taught properly, the law only says that a Learner should be ” accompanied” by a person that has held a full license for a minimum of three years but is not required to teach anything only to be there, it is little wonder that they fail, if the person there has not got the skill to teach things correctly,and pass on their bad habits. “One person told me that she had passed her test eight years ago and no longer needed to use mirrors they are just for the test” ( without them you are driving blind ) it was a case of foot down and go, They are out there!
Driving should be regarded as a highly skilled job, there is nothing to stop a person passing basic test in a small low powered car one day and the next get into a high powered car with no experience.
Retired ADI
Can’t comment on ease or otherwise of driving test as I passed mine in 1966 on the second attempt. Have since driven in several countries in the Middle East, Southern Africa, Far East and the USA. All countries where I was resident would issue a local licence in exchange for my UK permit.
I think reversing round a corner should be retained as this skill often is necessary when entering or leaving a parking space. Agree with the inclusion of satnav skills.
I also think that the penalties for using a mobile or any other similar device are not a sufficient deterrent. I would suggest a minimum driving ban of 1 year and a £1,000 fine for the first offence and tripled for a second offence. Too many fatal accidents have been caused by this practice.
Roy Moore
It’s about time that the driving standards in this country are improved. The problem is that there are so many incompetent drivers on the road already that it is unlike to have any effect.
But, we need to start somewhere and I think the problem lies with the instructors and examiners. Youngsters are not being taught correctly and the examiners just pass them anyway. I see it every day, with even the standard of driving by instructors themselves, on their own in their car, rather poor.
Motorway and dual carriageway instruction needs to be included with clear guidelines on what is acceptable and what is not.
Of course I also think that instant on the spot fines should be issued for the following:
Middle lane hogging.
Outside lane hogging.
Stopping at a roundabout when there is no other traffic in sight.
Stopping on slip roads rather than accelerating into the traffic.
No lights on.
Agree with you, I think we’ve all seen it with driving instructors, one recently having to brake hard because I was inconsiderate enough to be using a narrow estate Road he wanted to race along, if I’d been doing the same speed we would have written off cars to show off it instead. The most recent one being with a pupil hogging the outside lane for a few miles with no intention of turning right at any point, and some wonder how people learn these bad habits!
I do not agree with the comment about forcing learners to have official lessons. I taught my daughter to drive, starting in the day she turned 17 and she passed her test first time, only five or so weeks later, with one minor advisory/fault.
And you won’t catch her sitting in the outside lane or stopping at a roundabout …….and all the other things I see every day.
That was only a few years ago, I have no official qualifications in this field, just simple common sense which is lacking today an many walks of life.
Getting people to use a Sat Nav is not going to improve their Driving skills, I think this will take up too much of the examiners time. One thing that I have noticed is that it dose not say if the people that fail were taught by a Driving School or private. It would be far better if the DVLA were to make it compulsory to be taught by a Driving school before taking the test, at the present time there is no requirement for anyone to be taught properly, the law only says that a Learner should be ” accompanied” by a person that has held a full license for a minimum of three years but is not required to teach anything only to be there, it is little wonder that they fail, if the person there has not got the skill to teach things correctly,and pass on their bad habits. “One person told me that she had passed her test eight years ago and no longer needed to use mirrors they are just for the test” ( without them you are driving blind ) it was a case of foot down and go, They are out there!
Driving should be regarded as a highly skilled job, there is nothing to stop a person passing basic test in a small low powered car one day and the next get into a high powered car with no experience.
Retired ADI
Can’t comment on ease or otherwise of driving test as I passed mine in 1966 on the second attempt. Have since driven in several countries in the Middle East, Southern Africa, Far East and the USA. All countries where I was resident would issue a local licence in exchange for my UK permit.
I think reversing round a corner should be retained as this skill often is necessary when entering or leaving a parking space. Agree with the inclusion of satnav skills.
I also think that the penalties for using a mobile or any other similar device are not a sufficient deterrent. I would suggest a minimum driving ban of 1 year and a £1,000 fine for the first offence and tripled for a second offence. Too many fatal accidents have been caused by this practice.
Roy Moore
It’s about time that the driving standards in this country are improved. The problem is that there are so many incompetent drivers on the road already that it is unlike to have any effect.
But, we need to start somewhere and I think the problem lies with the instructors and examiners. Youngsters are not being taught correctly and the examiners just pass them anyway. I see it every day, with even the standard of driving by instructors themselves, on their own in their car, rather poor.
Motorway and dual carriageway instruction needs to be included with clear guidelines on what is acceptable and what is not.
Of course I also think that instant on the spot fines should be issued for the following:
Middle lane hogging.
Outside lane hogging.
Stopping at a roundabout when there is no other traffic in sight.
Stopping on slip roads rather than accelerating into the traffic.
No lights on.
Agree with you, I think we’ve all seen it with driving instructors, one recently having to brake hard because I was inconsiderate enough to be using a narrow estate Road he wanted to race along, if I’d been doing the same speed we would have written off cars to show off it instead. The most recent one being with a pupil hogging the outside lane for a few miles with no intention of turning right at any point, and some wonder how people learn these bad habits!
I do not agree with the comment about forcing learners to have official lessons. I taught my daughter to drive, starting in the day she turned 17 and she passed her test first time, only five or so weeks later, with one minor advisory/fault.
And you won’t catch her sitting in the outside lane or stopping at a roundabout …….and all the other things I see every day.
That was only a few years ago, I have no official qualifications in this field, just simple common sense which is lacking today an many walks of life.