Driving test pass rate hits five-year high as officials urge learners to book only when ready
It comes as officials urged learners not to book a test until they are confident they will pass, as part of measures aimed at tackling a backlog.
Britain’s driving test pass rate has reached a five-year high, suggesting more learners are heeding calls to take a test only when they are ready.
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Some 51.4% of tests conducted in May were successful, according to Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) statistics.
That is up from 50.9% during the previous month, and was the best performance since May 2021 when the pass rate was 51.9%.
Officials have urged learners not to book a test until they are confident they will pass, as part of measures aimed at tackling a backlog.
A total of 173,200 tests were conducted in May, an increase from 147,698 during the same month last year.
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The number of future tests booked – a measure of the backlog – reached an all-time high of 674,165 at the end of May.
The Government has tightened rules around driving test bookings in a bid to cut the backlog and end unfair practices.
A regulation introduced on Tuesday means learners can only move a slot to one of the three test centres nearest the initial booking.
This is aimed at reducing incidents of people booking a test regardless of location, with no intention of using the slot.
The practice was done by people selling on slots for profit, or genuine learners who wanted to switch tests to a more convenient location if a place became available at a later date.
It made it hard for the DVSA to plan how much capacity was required at each test centre.
A ban on driving instructors booking tests came into force on May 12, meaning they can now only be booked and managed by learners.
It is hoped this will make it harder for people to profit by using automated programmes – known as bots – to quickly book available slots and resell them at a higher price.
Freedom of information data accessed by AA Driving School showed the average waiting time to book a test increased from 20.8 weeks in January to 22.4 by April 6.
In February 2020, before the coronavirus pandemic, the figure was five weeks.
Steve Gooding, director of the RAC Foundation, said: “Knowing there’s a queue ahead for a practical test is frustrating for learners, but a pass rate hovering around 50% suggests many would still benefit from more practice and real world experience before taking a test which is the gateway to the freedom and responsibility of unaccompanied driving.”
The DVSA was approached for a comment.