(Image Source: Flickr)
You, or a member of your family may just have applied for a provisional driving licence, or may be looking forward to taking your actual driving test. You may find it hard to believe that not all driving test centres are equal, just as not all driving tutors are equal. The fact is that where you take your test will more than likely affect your chance of passing. The national average of first time passes, according to figures from the DVSA (Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency) is around 47%, but numbers can vary dramatically, depending on where you live.
If you live in the West Midlands area, which has more than thirty test centres, a good number of people go through centres where the results are less desirable. According to the Birmingham Mail, if you take your test at one particular centre that is often used by driving instructors and driving schools, then your chance of failing is more than sixty percent.
You Pay Your Money
From paying the £50 fee for your provisional licence onwards, the cost of learning to drive is higher than it has ever been. Once you have your provisional licence you will start paying for driving lessons – all this expense before you even get close to paying for your test. The cost of learning to drive is unlikely to fall anytime soon, so before you start paying for driving lessons, ask the instructor which test centre they normally use.
The figures for passing your driving test first time differ considerably, not just across the UK but also within a specific area. Once you know the score, it makes sense to find an instructor, and ask about taking your test at a test centre where the number of passes is considerably higher.
Learners in Liverpool
According to recent figures from test centres around the UK and from the DVSA, it would appear that learners in Liverpool achieve among the lowest passes in the country. Those learners who were unfortunate enough to take their test at the Garston Centre in Merseyside, only achieved a one in 4 or 25% pass rate!
What You Can Do
So, what can you do to increase your chances of passing your driving test first time around? You can check with the DVSA to find out which centres in your area have the best pass rate. Once you’ve discovered what appears to be the best centre for taking your driving test, then search for an instructor who uses that test centre for their clients.
It may seem that passing or not passing your driving test first time is a bit of a lottery. While the DVSA are doing their best to ensure that all centres improve their driver pass rate, the best things that you can do include getting as much driving practice in as possible with a qualified driver, as well as your driving instructor. Choose your instructor carefully, and check which centre they use for clients taking the test for the first time, as this could mean the difference between a pass and a fail.