Heckmondwike, little known to most people in Britain however, all that has changed as it made national news for having the nation’s worst learner drivers.
Heckmondwike has earned the infamous title thanks to just five women in the town out of a population of 17,000 people.
The five unnamed ladies have, between them, failed 158 UK practical driving tests earning their town the reputation of having the worst learner drivers in the country.
The women, aged between 35 and 48, have spent a whopping £10,000 trying to pass the practical driving test, putting them among the top 20 worst learner drivers in Britain.
A DSA spokesperson said: “We do feel for these ladies, £10,000 would pay for a reasonably good car, brand new. It’s not a record that these women will want to hold, nor will the town.â€
Residents of the town say there is very little in the way of ‘scenery and infrastructure’ that explains the reasons behind driving test failures.
According to figures obtained via a Freedom of Information request made to the DSA, the town has a very low driving test pass rate of 39.8%, which is significantly lower than the national average of 47.1%.
Unfortunately, the evidence reveals that it is the female gender letting the town down with just 35.3% of women passing the UK’s practical driving test. This is in stark contrast to their male counterparts in the town who boast a 45.7% pass rate.
In a statement from the head of BSM Driving School, Mark Peacock, he said: “It seems unusual that Heckmondwike has proved so troublesome for these learners, but there are many factors that can influence someone’s success at their driving test.â€
He continued: “In particular, nerves can play a big part in how well someone performs, which may well be the case for those who have made serial attempts.â€
In a statement from the DSA they said: “It takes about 45 hours of professional training and 22 hours of private practice to pass the practical driving test. Pass rates can be influenced by various factors. Some people may take more lessons and be better prepared for the test. Statistical factors can also play a part as the number of tests conducted at different test centres vary significantly.â€
The statement continued: “However, every driving test is conducted to the same strict requirements. We train examiners to a high standard and closely monitor their work to ensure that all tests are assessed consistently across the country.†Planning to book your practical UK driving test? Visit www.booktheorytesttoday.com for assistance.
Tags: Driving License, Driving Test, Driving Theory Test, Driving Theory Test UK, Hazard Perception, Hazard Perception test, Practical Driving Test, Theory Test, UK Driving License, UK Full Driving Test, UK Full Driving Theory Test