Four-fifths of drivers think they are better than average, which means a good chunk of them are wrong. Take our poll to let us know how many attempts it took you to pass your driving test
Are you a better-than-average driver?
According to polling by applied cognitive psychologist Dr Gemma Briggs, 80% of drivers think that they are. If you know your statistics, you’ll know that a fair chunk of them are wrong, and likely a little overconfident.
While there are lots of different ways to measure how good somebody is at driving, the number of attempts it took to pass the practical test is one that many motorists recognise as a mark of quality.
When it comes to car insurance, there are even more factors that determine how much you pay. One thing that can impact how much you pay is when you passed your driving test.
Newly qualified drivers with less than a year of experience are considered high-risk, often resulting in much higher premiums. These costs generally decrease as you gain more experience, with significant price drops often occurring after the first year and again around the five-year mark.
Data suggest that drivers who have just passed their test can pay considerably more, with some 17-year-olds being quoted over £3,000 per year. The longer you hold your licence, the lower your premiums tend to become, as you have more time to build up a No Claims Bonus.
In the UK, most learner drivers pass their practical driving test on their second or third attempt. While passing on the first try is common, roughly half of all candidates fail their first attempt. So if that was you, you’re in good company with millions of others.
Perhaps surprisingly, official data from the DVSA show that pass rates remain remarkably consistent regardless of how many times you have taken the test, with a slight “peak” for those on their second go.
- 1st Attempt ~48.3%
- 2nd Attempt ~50.4%
- 3rd Attempt ~48.7%
- 4th Attempt ~48.1%
- 5th Attempt ~46.5%
- 6th+ Attempt ~41.7%
Interestingly, younger drivers generally have higher pass rates. For instance, 17-year-olds often see pass rates as high as 59-63%, whereas rates drop significantly for those over 50, according to the Department for Transport.
Where you’re doing your test has a big impact on how likely you are to pass. Which makes intuitive sense, given how some parts of the country have wide, quiet roads, while others are packed full of cars and difficult street furniture.
Rural centres in Scotland, like Montrose on the east coast of Scotland, have a pass rate of 74%, according to Howden Insurance, while urban centres tend to have a far lower pass rate. In Swindon, just 21% of tests end in a pass.
There is no limit to the number of times you can take the test. Records show extreme cases of perseverance, such as a learner passing on their 37th attempt.
However, you must wait a minimum of 10 working days between failed practical test attempts. The theory test typically requires fewer attempts, with most learners passing within one to two tries. However, first-time pass rates for the theory test have declined in recent years to approximately 44-46%, according to Auto Express.
