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For many of us, learning how to drive wasn’t one big car-crash. Instead it would be a lot of stopping and starting, minor mistake making and passenger-seat (as opposed to back-seat, for legal reasons) driving. However, it seems as though some learners really know how to fail, with recent statistics from the DSA (since renamed the DVSA) showing a whopping 415 learners were involved in an accident while undergoing their practical test.
Major Faults
These stats are taken from 2014, a year in which 700,000 tests were undertaken. The worst driver of them all, not to be named, racked up a concerning 12 major faults. He/she failed to check mirrors, steer properly and maintain the correct speed at any given time.
Although no names have been exposed, and quite rightly so, a further statistic did get brought to light, proving women drivers acquired a total of 875,000 faults in 2014, while men only managed to rack up 663,000. This sparked a large debate, as a difference of 212,000 is a rather large gap.
Nevertheless, the types of errors being made by men and women are widely similar, with both sexes most commonly failing to make proper observations at junctions and failing to check mirrors when changing direction.
Gender Differences
More common among men is the likelihood of failing due to over-confidence. Accordingly to the DSA this results in speeding, failing to pull away safely and applying the wrong action at traffic lights. For women, flunking the driving test is more likely to be down to a lack of car control while reversing, as well as in general.
The Cost Of Failure
New learners, and this sadly applies to all, are said to be more prone to the odd offence. For example, one male driver landed a speeding ticket for doing 36mph in a 30mph zone, while another took the test completely drunk. Probably most shocking of all, though, is the fact that 21 drivers sat their 30th driving test or more. If you work out of the cost of that, considering a driving exam itself costs £62 every single time you take it, it totals over £1,860.
In addition, one in five learners currently have one or more penalty points on their licence. As worrying as this may sound, a spokesperson for AA had a slightly different perspective to give and said; “We applaud people who have failed the test multiple times, because although their driving may not be great they are still doggedly staying within the system rather than the one in 20 drivers who are going around uninsured. These disqualified drivers or those who can’t be bothered to pass the test are the real menace on our roads.”
It’s a difficult one to swallow when you consider the dangers involved in motoring, but what is reassuring is the attitude of those that help take care of our roads. The DSA released this information for a good cause, enabling them and others to study and suggest new ways to keep driving safe, even for learners!
