The latest data released today (11 August 2022) by the Department
for Transport reveals the car driving test pass rate
for January to March 2022 was 47.1%. This is down from
48.1% in the previous quarter.
47.1%pass rate for car driving tests between January and
March 2022
To provide support for learner drivers, the Driver and Vehicle
Standards Agency (DVSA) has recently
launched the ‘Ready to Pass?’ campaign at www.gov.uk/ready-to-pass. It
aims to improve pass rates, which will help to reduce the waiting
times for tests.
The campaign gives learner drivers advice on:
- finding an approved driving instructor
- monitoring and checking progress of their driving lessons and
private practice
- when to take a mock test
- how to manage test-day nerves - 1 in 10 learners who fail
their driving test say the main reason they failed was because
they were too nervous
The website also includes a checklist of the things learner
drivers should consider when they and their driving instructor
agree they’re ready to take the test.
DVSA is asking
learner drivers to move their test back if
they are not ready, so their appointment can be used by someone
else who is ready. They can do this free of charge up to 3 full
working days before their test.
Driving examiners had to take physical action in 1 in 5
failed tests
Between April 2021 and March 2022, car driving tests were failed
786,400 times.
DVSA research
shows that driving examiners had to physically intervene in
168,583 tests during that time to avoid a dangerous incident.
This means driving examiners had to do things such as brake or
steer the car in 1 in 5 failed tests.
Increasing the number of driving tests
DVSA has
already taken unprecedented action to increase test availability.
The latest statistics show that 425,887 car driving tests were
carried out between 1 January and 31 March 2022 (up 14% compared
to the same period in 2020).
425,887car driving tests carried out between January and
March 2022
Measures to create extra test appointments
Since April 2021, DVSA has
created about 428,000 more test appointments than are normally
available by:
- recruiting new driving examiners - this has created an
estimated 140,000 extra appointments
- carrying out overtime, including at weekends and on public
holidays - this has created an estimated 135,000 extra
appointments
- getting all colleagues who are qualified to carry out driving
tests but have moved to other roles to carry out tests - this has
created an estimated 75,000 extra appointments
- increasing utilisation – this has created an estimated 60,000
extra appointments
- buying back leave from driving examiners - this has created
an estimated 13,000 extra appointments
- inviting recently retired driving examiners to return to work
– this has created an estimated 5,000 extra appointments
There may be an element of double-counting in some of the
figures, as it’s not possible to separate each of the measures
fully.
Make sure you’re ready - and delay your test if you’re
not
Loveday Ryder, DVSA Chief
Executive, said:
We took swift action to tackle the impact of the pandemic and
ensure as many people as possible could take their driving test.
I’m glad to see the action we took – along with the hard work of
driving instructors and our driving examiners – is working, and
more test slots are available for learner drivers.
However, with less than half of learners passing, I’d urge them
to use our Ready to Pass? checklist to make sure they’re ready –
and delay their test if they’re not. This will help make more
tests available and prevent people having to pay to re-test.
