Driving test statistics

On 9 November the Department for Transport (DfT) published the official driving test statistics for 1 April to 31 October 2022.   

The latest driving test data reveals the pass rate for October has dropped to 47.9% in October. We have also seen an increase in how often driving examiners need to physically intervene to avoid a dangerous incident to every 1 in 8 tests.  

Following the last lockdown in 2021, the driving test service was not at full capacity and needed re-establishing. Since then DVSA has taken unprecedented action to boost test availability, including out of hours testing and examiner recruitment campaigns. As a result of DVSA measures to provide more tests, the provisional data shows that 836,952  driving tests were carried out between May and October 2022 – an increase of 49,647  compared to the same period in 2021.  

View the January 2019  to October 2022 statistics   

Publishing monthly car driving test data  

To help us show you the impact our measures are having, DfT have agreed to publish our monthly national car test driving data until driving test waiting times return to less than 6 weeks. This data will include:    

• number of driving tests carried out   
• number of car driving test passes   
• percentage of passes   
• number of car driving tests booked   

From December, DfT will publish this data on a monthly basis.    

Helping learners to check if they are ready 

As result of the drop in the driving test pass rate we are making an announcement today (15 November) to reminder learner drivers of the importance of them only taking their test when they are ready. 

To help learner drivers understand when they’re ready to take their test, and to reinforce the messages you are giving to your pupils, DVSA has launched the ‘Ready to Pass?’ campaign at www.gov.uk/ready-to-pass.  

In response to the recent survey on the demand you face for lessons and other challenges you face. You told us that:

• 72.5% of you are aware of the campaign
• 45% of you share the campaign resources with your pupils with upcoming tests
• 28% of you share them with all your pupils 
• 85% of you found the ‘Ready to Pass?’ campaign resources useful. 

Encouraging parents to support learners with private practice   

As part of this announcement, we are also encouraging parents to take a more active role in their learners’ learning to drive process – by reading the newly published ‘supervising learner drivers’ guide on GOV.UK and supporting them with private practice.  

For more information about this guide, the next phase of the campaign and how you can support us to promote this guidance read Amanda Lane, Head of Driver Training and Testing Policy, latest blog post.   

To help you promote ‘Ready to Pass?’ to your pupils we have also published a communications toolkit for you that includes videos, images and GIFs for you to promote the campaign on your website and social media channels. 

Thank you for your support   

DVSA would not have been able to increase the number of tests without the support and help of you and our driving test examiners.    

Thank you for continuing to provide high quality training to your pupils, preparing them for their tests and encouraging them to delay it if they are not ready.   

The work is not finished yet and we will continue to work with you to help get more new qualified drivers on the road, helping them to have access to employment, education and the economic and social opportunities that will help support the country’s recovery.