Latest news with #learnerdrivers
BBC News
3 days ago
- Automotive
- BBC News
Hundreds of drivers failing to show up for tests in Bristol
Hundreds of candidates are failing to attend driving tests that were booked, a Freedom of Information request has average, a candidate fails to attend a test at both Bristol centres in Avonmouth and Kingswood every day, data from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) many learners find booking a test in their home city almost impossible, every day there is likely to be a test cancelled because nobody turns in April, transport secretary Heidi Alexander said: "We inherited an enormous backlog of learners ready to ditch their L-plates but being forced to endure record waiting time for their tests." Between October 2023 and September 2024, 439 tests did not go ahead in Kingswood because candidates did not show up, an average of 37 every the same period, 344 tests did not go ahead in Avonmouth for the same reason, an average of 29 every month. In both centres, this represents about 3% of all tests four tests did not go ahead on average each month in the two Bristol centres because candidates arrived late; while six tests did not go ahead because of mechanical failure, the second most common reason after candidates not turning drivers across the country have been struggling to book tests for several years now, with a giant backlog first building up during the pandemic. The crisis has since got worse, with companies using bots to book tests and then resell them to learners at an inflated Alexander said in April: "I am instructing DVSA to take further action immediately to reduce waiting times which will see thousands of additional tests made available every month. We're acting fast to get Britain's drivers moving."The DVSA said in April that it was "continuing to reduce waiting times, and to encourage learners to only book their test when they're ready".
The Independent
25-06-2025
- Automotive
- The Independent
How free driving tests could help motorists pass sooner
Free driving tests could be introduced to help learner drivers secure their licences sooner, MPs have heard, under a proposal that would see higher fees imposed on those who fail. The suggestion comes amid a growing backlog for test slots, which is reportedly forcing people to put their lives on hold. Labour MP Alex Mayer, who disclosed she failed her own driving test "about five times", told the Commons that constituents are facing waits of up to nine months for a test slot, a situation she described as "utterly ridiculous". Ms Mayer highlighted that many learners are booking tests regardless of their readiness, as it is "cheaper sometimes to book that driving test time than it is to book a couple of lessons – and that cannot be right". The MP for Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard told MPs: 'How about we do put up the fee, but we give everybody one free go at it? 'So basically, if you pass your driving test, you get a refund, so that would encourage everybody to only go for it when they really thought that they were going to pass it. 'I think that we could probably make it cost-neutral, and it would free up slots because – as I said – only those people who thought that they were definitely ready would go for it, then offset it by putting up the charges for everyone who fails again and again. '(It) probably wouldn't have done me any good – I failed my driving test about five times.' MPs laughed as she continued: 'I eventually managed it.' Britain's driving test backlog reached a new high last month. Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) figures state 631,472 future practical driving tests booked as of the end of May. The figure stood at 527,368 a year ago. Responding, Commons Transport Committee chairwoman Ruth Cadbury described Ms Mayer's idea as an 'innovative suggestion'. Ms Cadbury, the Labour MP for Brentford and Isleworth, said it 'should be noted' by transport minister Mike Kane, who was in the chamber.
The Sun
20-06-2025
- Automotive
- The Sun
The 10 best places in the UK to pass your driving test first time revealed… do YOU live near one?
THE best places to take your driving test have been revealed in a new analysis of DVSA data - and it's good news for drivers in Scotland. There are "remarkable" differences in first-time pass rates across the UK, according to the figures. 5 5 5 5 It comes after The Sun previously revealed the hardest test centres to pass at. From three-point turns to checking blind spots, there is plenty for novice drivers to think about during their test. And with a long wait for a slot, knowing you have a good chance of success is crucial. The best location to take your driving test is Montrose, in Scotland, where a staggering 69.6% of drivers pass on the first attempt. The second-best test centre is Forfar, just down the road from Montrose. Although 69.5% of learners pass in Forfar, men have much more luck than women. While 75.5% of men pass, only 64.2% of women will receive their licence after their first attempt. Although the two best centres in the UK are in Scotland, English drivers shouldn't worry. There is only a tiny difference in the success rate between the best centre in England and Scotland. The beautiful lake district town of Kendal, in Cumbria, has a first-time pass rate of 69.1%. Shocking moment speeding van driver distracted by phone slams into broken-down car leaving victim with lifelong injuries And here women are more likely to get the stamp of approval from their examiner - 71.4% pass first time compared to 66.8% of men. The best centre in Wales rounds out the top five with a 66.9% first time pass rate. Nervous test-takers face a much bigger challenge in other parts of the country. Test centres in cities in the Midlands and North West are the trickiest for first timers, according to the data provided by Traffic Chart. In Wolverhampton, over two-thirds of people will leave disappointed after the first attempt. This makes it the worst place in the country to take your driving test. And down the road in Featherstone, only 31.9% of first-time test takers pass. Martijn Hulshof, founder of Traffic Chart, said: "These figures show remarkable regional variations in driving test success rates. "Scottish test centres perform exceptionally well, possibly due to less congested roads and different driving conditions compared to major urban areas." When it comes to picking a place to take your test, Hulshof said: "Rural locations typically offer better odds of first-time success, but practical factors like travel distance should be weighed against the potential benefits.' He also explained that men generally outperformed women across the country when it comes to first-time pass rates. Hulshof said: "It suggests that factors such as anxiety and pressure may affect male and female drivers differently in testing environments." How to boost your chances of passing first time Seb Goldin, CEO of RED Driver Training, the largest driving school in the UK, that trains nearly a quarter of all driving instructors in the country, has shared his top five tips to help boost your chances of passing for the first time: Master your manoeuvres Ensure you're confident with key manoeuvres like parallel parking, a forward bay park or a reverse bay park. These can make or break your test, so practice them until you're confident in doing these under pressure. Let your instructor know ahead of your test if there's anything you're concerned about and they can help you practice until needed. Plan your lessons with your instructor wisely Take lessons at different times of day, including busy periods. This helps you get comfortable with all driving conditions and traffic situations, giving you a true feel for real-world driving. Particularly if the only time you can secure a test is during a busy period – you'll be thanking yourself later. Your instructor will also help make sure you're test ready and point out anything that needs to be worked on. They're there to help your chances of passing for the first time! Focus on observation and awareness The driving test is as much about your ability to spot hazards as it is about your car control. Stay alert, check mirrors regularly, and always anticipate what's happening on the road. Your examiner will be looking out for this, so keep this in the back of your mind while taking the test. Know your theory Putting your theory knowledge into practice is more important during your test than ever. There are also resources students can use to ensure that they are fully prepared – at RED, we have apps to help our students prepare for their tests such as the Learn to Drive with RED app and RED's Complete Driving Theory app. Stay calm under pressure Don't let nerves get the best of you. Stay calm, take deep breaths, and if you make a mistake, don't let it get to you. Keep your focus on the next task and show the examiner you can recover quickly. 5
BreakingNews.ie
18-06-2025
- BreakingNews.ie
Learner drivers who had vehicles seized for driving unaccompanied hit 6,500 in 2024
The number of learner drivers who had vehicles seized or impounded after being caught driving unaccompanied last year rose by 28 per cent to almost 6,500. However, just 24 motorists were issued with summonses in 2024 for the offence of allowing a learner driver to drive on the public road without being accompanied by a full licence holder. Advertisement New figures published by the Department of Justice reveal that a daily average of 18 learner drivers had their vehicles taken off the road in 2024 – a total of 6,483. Figures so far this year indicate similar levels of detection with 3,157 cases recorded up to June 4th, 2025. However, a road safety group has expressed concern about the seemingly low level of enforcement of the offence of driving unaccompanied by learners in some rural counties, despite increased detection rates. The figures, which are based on the Garda PULSE system, indicate that approximately four out of every 10 drivers caught for such an offence manage to avoid having their vehicle seized. Advertisement Learner drivers in Dublin are far more likely to have their vehicles seized than any other part of the country with just 23 per cent of those detected driving unaccompanied being allowed to retain their vehicle. The figures, which were provided in response to a series of parliamentary questions by Social Democrats TD, Aidan Farrelly, indicate that more than 60 per cent of such offenders in Clare, Galway, Kerry and Waterford/Kilkenny avoid having their vehicle seized. They also reveal that the overall number of learner drivers who were issued with a €160 fine after being detected driving unaccompanied last year increased by 20 per cent to 10,579. No information was available on how many also had penalty points attached to their licence. Advertisement One Garda division – Dublin West which covers areas including Lucan, Clondalkin, Finglas, Ballyfermot and Blanchardstown – accounted for 14 per cent of the national total last year with 1,516 unaccompanied learner drivers caught by local gardaí. The next highest numbers were detected in Dublin North (968) and Waterford/Kilkenny (649). The lowest number of such offences were recorded in Sligo/Leitrim (133), Donegal (137), Dublin East (209), Mayo/Roscommon/Longford (265) and Kerry (283). Detection rates were up in 18 of the 21 Garda divisions with annual increases in excess of 50 per cent in Dublin North Central, Dublin South Central, Donegal, Kerry and Sligo/Leitrim. Advertisement Meath/Westmeath and Clare/Tipperary were the only two Garda divisions to record a decrease in the number of unaccompanied learner drivers fined last year, while the number was unchanged in Louth/Cavan/Monaghan. Separate figures from the Courts Service also show that only 886 individuals were convicted for driving a vehicle while not being accompanied by a full licence holder last year The chairperson of road safety group PARC, Susan Gray, said the most alarming aspect of the figures on unaccompanied learner drivers was the seemingly low level of enforcement in rural parts of the country. 'Donegal gardaí only seized 151 vehicles in 29 months; Sligo/Leitrim – 136 and 218 in Kerry over the same period,' said Ms Gray. Advertisement While official figures indicate that over 24,000 fixed charge notices were issued to unaccompanied learner drivers between January 1st, 2023 and June 4th, 2025, Ms Gray said there was no information about how many fines were paid and how many offenders had penalty points applied to the driving licence via the Department of Transport's driver file database. 'A lot more questions must be answered to see the full extent of the problem,' said Ms Gray. Concern has also been expressed that the sharp increase in the number of learner drivers having their vehicles seized in the past 18 months is linked to long-waiting times for driving tests. Commenting on the figures, Mr Farrelly said it was important to bear in mind that not every learner driver who had been detected and sanctioned for driving unaccompanied chooses to be in that position. The Kildare North TD said he believed the figures might be linked to backlogs in the number of learner drivers waiting to sit their driving test with an estimated 100,000 applicants still waiting for a test in May. Ireland Taoiseach wants 'review' of Leaders' Questions int... Read More 'Many learner drivers have made great efforts to secure a driving test and I feel that some of what we are seeing here is the prevailing manifestation of backlogs at test centres,' he added. According to the Road Safety Authority, the annual number of driving tests has increased by 61 per cent since 2021 to 253,850 last year. The RSA announced an action plan last month which aims to reduce driving test waiting times from 27 weeks to 10 weeks by early September. The latest RSA figures indicate the average waiting time for a driving test currently stands at just below 19 weeks.
BBC News
18-06-2025
- Automotive
- BBC News
Driving instructor says he has changed lessons due to potholes
A driving instructor has said he has had to change the way he teaches his students due to the amount of potholes in the Whitburn, 58, has operated a driving school in Nottinghamshire for 16 years, but has said he has noticed learner drivers' anxiety rise as the number of potholes have said he now avoids roads covered in potholes with some students who "refuse" to drive down them and has had to start teaching how motorists can tackle cratered streets safely."I spend more and more time teaching students about them," he added. "The roads have got so much worse over the past ten years - before, we barely spoke about potholes, now, my students always bring them up. "Lots of students panic about them as they see other drivers suddenly swerve away from them without looking and so on."They are concerned about damage to the vehicle, but in avoiding them, they may strike the curb, get too close to other cars or put nearby cyclists at risk."I teach them to observe the situation and only swerve out of the way if it's safe, otherwise, there is no option but to go through them." Mr Whitburn also teaches learner drivers with disabilities, for whom he says potholes pose added difficulties."When a vehicle shakes as it goes over a pothole, these clients find it even more difficult to control the car and their steering," he said."We go through them and deal with them, but it should not be this much of a hazard."You can always expect to see a few, but on some roads you can see between 20 - 30. That just is not acceptable." Mr Whitburn said he has spent had £1,000 on repairs to his car caused by potholes over the last 14 months and had one student suffer a blowout during a lesson. He added: "Myself and the student discussed the pothole on approach - to which he said - "what pothole?"He was, unfortunately, too late."I only swerve or steer the wheel out of the way if we are in an emergency. Having to do that knocks students confidence."Mr Whitburn said there are a number of road riddled with potholes on his patch - and highlighted Digby Avenue, Mapperley, as a particular problem, as it is on a test said: "Digby Avenue is already near a school and lots of parked cars, and when the potholes are everywhere, it's really hard to be safe. "Your car shakes so is almost comical." The government has announced £1.6bn funding for national road repairs and the Department for Transport (DFT) has warned English councils they will be ranked according to their process in fixing potholes.A Nottinghamshire County Council highways manager said: "We actively monitor the condition of all roads in Nottinghamshire through routine inspections and reports of defects we receive from residents and road users. "We're pleased to say that 40 sites in the district are due to benefit from road/footway resurfacing or surface treatments."Where residents notice potholes, we ask that they continue to report them to us either through our website or the MyNOTTS App."
