Reports have emerged of driving test failures resulting in learner drivers attacking examiners. If your driving test is unsuccessful don’t lash out.
Yes, failing your driving test can be immensely frustrating, especially because you’ve invested so much of your time and money in driving lessons, booking a theory test online and passing the theory test so you can take your practical exam. For some, driving test failures have become an excuse to attack examiners. It’s just not on!
Book Theory Test Today says: “Attacking a driving examiner is not going to change the result of a DVSA practical test. Additionally, if a learner driver decides it’s a good idea to intimidate an examiner, it will do them no favours should they want to take a driving test in the future.â€
How do we know driving test failures are resulting in attacks on examiners?
An investigation by the Daily Mirror newspaper uncovered shocking stories of learner drivers who went on the rampage following a driving test failure. The Mirror dubbed the attacks ‘a terrifying new form of road rage.’
Livid learners
The Mirror’s investigation revealed incidents involving driving test candidates who had set upon terrified examiners, verbal abuse and a situation that saw an examiner fleeing from a learner driver who pursued him down the street.
One incident escalated into a full-scale rampage involving a candidate who assaulted an examiner at a driving test centre and then proceeded to destroy the waiting room, ripping a fire extinguisher from the wall and then attacking staff who attempted to remove him from the building.
A further incident saw a candidate get behind the wheel to pursue an instructor down the street, hopping out to shove the examiner into bushes and then pulling his hair and launching an attack with a set of keys.
Another examiner was forced to flee the driving test vehicle and escape a barrage of verbal abuse. Fortunately, he was able to catch a passing bus.
Overall, the Mirror investigation found that driving test examiners had reported 166 cases of verbal abuse and 15 cases of aggressive behaviour. However, just 4 instructors reported a case of physical assault. These figures are for the 12 months up to the end of October 2015.
The Mirror’s findings are the result of a Freedom of Information request released by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency [DVSA].
Lesley Young, the DVSA’s Chief Driving Examiner said: “The DVSA takes attacks against driving examiners very seriously, thankfully they are extremely rare in comparison to the 1.6 million practical tests that we conduct each year.â€
Learner drivers, heed the warning. If you get the urge to attack a driving examiner, the consequences are severe. They are just doing their job, they’re not there to be your friend. Not only could you land in trouble with the law, you could find yourself banned from taking a driving test. Keep calm, keep your cool, there’s always next time.
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