Driving tests in England and Wales are allowed to resume from today (April 22), though new drivers are said to face more pressure than ever to pass due to the huge backlog.
According to the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), more than 450,000 tests have had to be cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, with new drivers facing huge waits to book their tests again.
Should a learner fail their test, they face an average wait of 17 weeks until they can get a new slot.
Earlier this week, the DVSA released the top 10 reasons why learners fail their test, in the hope it prevents many from making the mistakes. Top reasons included not making effective observations at junctions, along with not using their mirrors when changing direction. The third most likely reason someone would fail was for not having proper control of the steering.
Between April 2019 and March 2020, 45.9 per cent of learners passed their test, while recent analysis of driving licences by the PA news agency found the number of young drivers with a licence had reached the lowest levels since current records began.
DVSA chief driving examiner Mark Winn said: “Learners should only take their driving test if they are completely ready to pass, and feel they’ve had sufficient practice driving on a variety of roads and in different conditions.
“Thousands of people fail their test every year because of common errors which are potentially dangerous and avoidable.”
Driving tests will also resume in Northern Ireland from tomorrow (April 23), though they’re not set to commence in Scotland until May 6 at the earliest.
