Chelmsford learner driver failed theory test 59 times

The individual, who has not been named, spent GBP1,104 and about 48 hours on the process at a test centre Chelmsford, according to data obtained by AA Driving School and shared with the PA news agency. This is amongst the highest in Britain, but several other learners also required dozens of attempts to pass. Topping the list was a driver who spent GBP1,380 and about 60 hours on the process at a test centre in Redditch, Worcestershire.

The figures from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) relate to learner drivers who passed during the first half of 2023.

Here is the full list of failed attempts taken before people passed the theory test between January and June, with the total cost of the tests and the location of the test centre.

1. 60 attempts - GBP1,380 - Redditch, Worcestershire
2. 58 attempts - GBP1,334 - Hull, East Yorkshire
3. 56 attempts - GBP1,288 - Guildford, Surrey
4. 54 attempts - GBP1,242 - Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent
5. 52 attempts - GBP1,196 - Bristol
6. 48 attempts - GBP1,104 - Birmingham
7. 48 attempts - GBP1,104 - Chelmsford, Essex
8. 48 attempts - GBP1,104 - Sidcup, London
9. 48 attempts - GBP1,104 - Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands
10. 47 attempts - GBP1,081 - Taunton, Somerset

Department for Transport figures show the pass rate for theory tests has fallen from 65 per cent in the 2007/08 financial year to 44 per cent in 2022/23 (Image: N/A) Camilla Benitz, managing director of AA Driving School - which has launched an app helping learners prepare for the test, said: "There's no doubt it's a tough test and these learners' commitment to passing is amazing. "But with the right tools, it really shouldn't need to cost this much to be successful.

"Nerves can undoubtedly play a part, as well as making sure you understand what the test will involve before you get there. "It's quite easy to underestimate the theory test and assume that you'll be able to pass without any effort at all but that's not the case. "Revision is the key to success.

Apps like ours can really help." Department for Transport figures show the pass rate for theory tests has fallen from 65 per cent in the 2007/08 financial year to 44 per cent in 2022/23.

What is the Theory Test?

Learners must pass the theory test before they can book a practical driving test in the UK. For those looking to get a licence to drive a car, each theory test attempt costs GBP23 and takes around an hour.

It consists of 50 multiple-choice questions testing candidates' knowledge of the Highway Code and guidance on driving skills, for which at least 43 correct answers are required. This is followed by a hazard perception test, which involves 14 video clips of driving situations. It evaluates learners' ability to anticipate potential dangers in a timely manner, with a pass mark of 44 out of 75.

People who fail the theory test must wait at least three working days before taking it again. Those who pass must take a successful practical test within two years or they will need to complete the theory test again. Several fraudsters have been prosecuted for impersonating other people to sit their theory tests.

Inderjeet Kaur, then aged 29, from Llanelli, was jailed for eight months at Swansea Crown Court in July last year after admitting taking approximately 150 theory and practical driving tests on behalf of learners.

In January 2020, Swallaxadin Abdul Bashir, then aged 42, from Coventry, was handed a 28-month prison sentence at Warwick Crown Court after admitting attempting to sit tests while impersonating applicants at 12 locations across England.