Is the Driving Test Harder Since Shakeup? Part 1
12 months on from the biggest shakeup to driver testing since the introduction of the theory test, is the driving test harder? The introduction of sat-nav led driving and the doubling of independent driving are indicators that the test is adapting to Britain’s ever-changing roads. Has it had any impact? Here are the facts…
1. Driving test pass rates
According to official figures, since the changes in December 2017, driving test pass rates in the UK have fallen slightly. The pass percentage is currently 45.5%, dropping below 46% for the first time since 2010. However, it has not slumped much below the 46.8% pass rate recorded in 2017.
For the past 10 years in fact, the pass percentage for the driving test has hovered around the mid-40s. However, driving theory test pass rates have slumped from more than 70% in July 2008 to less than 50% in June 2018.
2. Town & City Tests vs Rural Tests
Is the driving test harder or is the location in which a test is taken making the test harder? The stats show that passing a driving test in urban areas is notoriously difficult compared to more rural locations. More than 50% of city driving test centres in the UK have a poor pass percentage, with London-based centres the worst.
According to driving instructors, taking a driving test in a large town or city is far more challenging compared to taking a test in a small town or village. There are simply more hazards to contend with on city driving test routes, and the potential to commit minor or serious faults is far higher.
3. Men still better at practical test, women at theory
The new look practical driving test doesn’t seem to be any more difficult for men since the shakeup, with approximately 50% of male drivers passing the test since December 2017 – down from 50.6% in December 2016. However, men are still involved in more than 57% of reported road accidents on Britain’s highways.
Meanwhile, women still boast a better theory test pass rate with a 4% higher success rate than their male counterparts. However, compared with a practical test pass rate of 43.9% in 2016-17, since the test was updated in December 2017, the practical test pass rate among women has dropped to 43%.
The question is, are these indicators that the driving test is harder now than previous years? Tune in to part two to find out!
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Tags: motoring safety