DVSA Update: ‘Ready to Pass?’ campaign ads launch on social media and websites

Starting from this week, learner drivers and parents will start to see paid-for ads across social media and on selected websites, encouraging them to visit the ‘Ready to Pass?’ website.

The trial, which lasts until 31 March 2023, will help the DVSA evaluate how effective this type of advertising can be in reaching people who have not engaged with the campaign so far.

The DVSA have been promoting ‘Ready to Pass?’ using no-costs channels that DVSA has access to so far – including emails to your pupils with test booking, the GOV.UK website and DVSA’s Instagram account.

During February, this helped them to see:

• 79,000 people visiting the refreshed campaign website
• 94% of learners using the campaign website as useful
• 23.2% of learners who took their test say they used the ‘Ready to Pass? campaign website to prepare (the highest so far)
• 68.7% of learners who took the test say they took a mock test to prepare, the highest since the campaign started (research shows that people who take realistic mock tests are 1.4 times more likely to pass, so the DVSA are really pleased that more people following the campaign’s advice and doing this)

Reaching more learner drivers and parents

To increase the number of learner drivers and their families who hear about ‘Ready to Pass?’ campaign and the actions it promotes, the DVSA now trialling social media and other website advertising.

This will help to reinforce the message that learners and their parents should listen to your advice.

The trial will focus on social media platforms used by 17 to 24-year-olds and their parents.

So your pupils might see ads on:

• Facebook
• Instagram
• Snapchat (a popular messaging app)
• Reddit (a popular discussion website)

They will not be advertising on YouTube due to the cost. They will also not be using TikTok, as this is a channel the UK government does not use.

On the web, digital ads will appear on websites including AutoTrader, AutoExpress, The Student Room, TicketMaster and Total Jobs.      

What types of messages they’ll see

All the ads will focus on important things that learners should do, including:

• reflecting on their progress and skill level
• discussing their test readiness with their instructor
• encouraging them to take mock tests with all the parts of the real test
• giving tips of practising ways to manage test day nerves
• remind them what to take to their test

For parents, the DVSA will be challenging perceptions about how long it takes to learn to drive, and giving them advice about how to work with you to help their learner prepare for a lifetime of safe driving.