Hardest places to take driving test ranked

The short-term car insurance company Veygo have revealed the best and worst places to pass a driving test in the UK, as demand for tests continues to grow.

According to figures sourced for the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), 1.68 million driving tests took place between June 2022 and June 2023, an increase of 150,000 over the previous 12-month period.

However, the pass rate fell during the time period to 48.4 percent, the lowest figures for three years, with the gap between male and female rates narrowing to 3.78 percent.

James Armstrong, CEO of Veygo, is calling for a review into the way tests are retaken in order to reduce the waiting times for learner drivers.

He explained: “Driving is such a key skill that opens so many doors for young adults, whether that be for socialising, work and careers and general independence, so it is essential the industry and government look to find ways to improve this pass rate so more young adults have access to the opportunities that driving brings.”

To help improve driving test pass rates, Veygo is proposing that the DVSA increases the time period before learners can re-sit their test to 28 days, discouraging motorists from booking their test until they are confident they will pass first time.

James explained that, whilst this may be frustrating to learner drivers who were unlucky in their initial test, it will give them extra time to improve their skills.

He added: “Learners need adequate time to ensure they’re completely ready to take a test and have the time to work on errors if they fail too.”

Veygo also highlighted the test centres in the UK where learner drivers are most likely to fail, with Speke in Liverpool having the worst pass rate of 29 percent.

Various areas in London feature on the list including Erith, which scored 34.5 percent, and Belvedere, with a pass rate of 36.1 percent.

However, the company revealed that rural areas of Scotland have the best pass rates for driving tests, with the Isle of Tiree centre having the best pass rate in the UK at 85.7 percent.

James is also calling for the DVSA to create a mandatory amount of time that drivers must spend learning with an instructor before they are able to book their test.

He explained: “This is the norm in neighbouring European countries like Ireland, where learners must have a minimum number of lessons with an instructor before booking a test.

“If this was introduced, the knock-on effect should be a reduced number of retakes and first-time fails, as learners would require a minimum time with a professional instructor and have a base standard of driving knowledge before undertaking a test.”