Driver and rider tests and instructor statistics: quarter 3 2011/12

Publisher:Department for Transport
Published date: 23 February 2012
Type:Release
Series:Driving tests and instructors
Statistics topic:Cars, Drivers, Practical driving test



Summary

This publication presents information on the number and pass rates of driving and riding tests conducted in Great Britain to 31 December 2011.

The statistics are derived from data held by the Driving Standards Agency (DSA), which adminsters the driving test and training schemes in Great Britain.

A supplementary bulletin will be released in March. This will contain tables about the Approved Driving Instructor (ADI) tests conducted, as well as other statistics from the ADI register and the Integrated Register of Driver Trainers (IRDT). From June, all tables will be released together.

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Key points

  • A total of 437,038 tests were conducted across all test categories between October and December 2011 (Q3 2011/12). This represents an overall increase of 14 per cent in comparison with the same period the year before.
  • The increase in the number of tests conducted during the quarter in comparison with the previous year (Q3 2010/11) is due to the milder winter weather in late 2011. The heavy snowfall throughout most of Great Britain in December 2010 led to a reduction in the number of tests conducted and lowered candidate demand for tests.
  • Overall, the practical car test pass rate has increased slightly from 44 per cent in 2007/08 to 46 per cent in 2010/11. The pass rate for the first three quarters of 2011/12 is 47 per cent.
  • The number of car tests taken by females is higher than for males largely due to females having a lower pass rate than males, hence taking higher number of tests before passing.

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Technical information

Information on Driver and Rider Test and Instructor statistics, including the pre-release access list, and related technical documentation, can be found here:

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