It turns out that location, location, location is the mantra when it comes to booking a driving test, with the average pass rate varying wildly depending on the test centre that you find yourself at!
A new study has revealed the driving test centres with the highest and lowest pass rates, using the latest DVLA data to highlight the places you’re most likely to pass your test.
The research from Collingwood Insurance Services led them to believe that the trickiest test centre in the country looks to be in Erith, where fewer than three out of every ten people go on to pick up their pink licence.
The test centres with the lowest pass rates are largely based in urban areas, with the list of the bottom ten featuring four test centres in London and three test centres in Birmingham.
As well as Erith, London residents with tests booked at Belvedere (31.3%), Croydon (37.3%), and Yeading (38.2%) also have the odds stacked against them, with the average driver having a much higher chance of failing their test at these centres than pass.
Bottom Ten DVLA Test Centres – Lowest Pass Rate
Test Centre
Total Pass rate (%)
1
Erith (London)
29.1
2
Carlisle LGV
31.0
3
Belvedere (London)
31.3
4
Speke (Liverpool)
34.7
5
Croydon (London)
37.3
6
Birmingham (Kingstanding)
38.0
7
Yeading (London)
38.2
8
Birmingham (South Yardley)
38.2
9
Bristol (Jubilee House)
38.3
10
Birmingham (Sutton Coldfield)
38.6
Those taking their driving test tend to have a 50/50 chance of a pass according to the national data, with the nationwide pass rate standing at 51.6%.
The DVLA data from across the country also reveals whether men or women are more likely to pass their test and the results are very close indeed, with men (53.9%) marginally more likely to pass their test than women (49.2%) on average.
Collingwood also surveyed 350 university students on their driving test plans, with half of those surveyed (49%) saying they plan to take their test in 2022.
One in ten of the students surveyed said that they would only take their test in 2022 if wait times shortened, with the DVLA still dealing with a backlog that started during the early stages of the pandemic.
Interestingly, one in 25 (4%) said that they never plan to take their test, preferring to rely on public transport and walking.
A further one in 25 (4%) said that they would not take their test in 2022 and will wait for a considerable period of time before booking in a test date.
