Fewer driving tests taken despite record backlog

Fewer driving tests are being taken despite the backlog being at a record high, new figures show.

The number of practical tests conducted in Britain during the first three months of the year fell by 17% compared with the same period last year, according to analysis of Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) figures by the PA news agency and motoring research charity the RAC Foundation.

There were 466,000 tests taken between January and March, down from 560,000 a year earlier.

On March 31 there were 583,000 tests booked for future dates, which is the highest on record.

RAC Foundation director Steve Gooding said: “Whichever way you look at it, the picture is not encouraging.

“The test backlog is stuck stubbornly at a post-Covid high, a situation not helped by a situation where 17% fewer tests were conducted in the first three months of this year compared with the same period last year.

“Understandable anxiety about being able to get a test slot is itself helping clog up the system.

“Candidates are making early bookings in the hope that they’ll be ready to pass when test day arrives, though failure rates suggest many won’t be.”

The pass rate for tests taken in March was 49.0%, up from 46.9% during the same month last year.

Recent analysis by AA Driving School showed the average waiting time to book a practical test was 20 weeks in February, up from 14 weeks a year earlier.

The number of test centres with a 24-week waiting time – the maximum possible – nearly doubled over the period, from 94 to 183.

As of February, only 14 centres had waiting times at or below seven weeks, which is the DVSA’s nationwide target for the end of the year.

The Department for Transport (DfT) has previously announced a series of measures aimed at tackling the backlog.

Since Tuesday it has only been possible to make changes to a booked slot up to 10 working days in advance, compared with three working days previously.

DfT officials hope this will incentivise learners to wait until they are ready to pass before they book a test, and encourage people to pull out of tests sooner, meaning there is more chance their spot can be taken by someone else.

There is also a campaign to recruit and train 450 new driving examiners.

A DVSA spokesperson said: “Car practical test waiting times remain high due to an increase in demand and a change in customers’ booking behaviour.

“We continue to work on implementing our seven-point plan to reduce waiting times and encouraging learner drivers to only book their driving test when they are ready.

“Since launching our plan in December 2024, we are making progress towards recruiting and training 450 driving examiners across Great Britain.”

The agency added that the number of tests taken between October 2023 and March 2024 was higher than normal because it temporarily deployed eligible staff from other roles to act as examiners, as part of efforts to reduce waiting times.