One in 10 learners takes their driving test before they’re ready
● More than half of learner drivers needed multiple attempts to pass their practical test in the last year
● Only one in 10 (11%) drivers believe they took their test before they were ready
● The majority (61%) would delay their test if they were penalised for not passing first time
In the last year, over half (54%) of learner drivers needed more than one attempt to pass their driving test, raising questions about whether learners are taking their practical test too soon.[1] Despite this high failure rate, only one out of every 10 (11%) drivers felt they tested before they were ready, suggesting that while many don’t pass the first time, they generally feel prepared beforehand.[2]
The research from Go.Compare Car Insurance explores how financial penalties might influence learner drivers. Recent proposals from the RAC Foundation suggest increasing fees for those needing multiple test attempts.[3] The insurance comparison site surveyed drivers to see how such fees might change behaviour.
The results show that a third of drivers say they would’ve delayed their test until they were more confident if faced with higher fees for multiple attempts.[2] Similarly, 29% would’ve reconsidered if higher insurance premiums were in place after multiple failures – another factor that could influence drivers.
Younger drivers, aged 18 to 24, were especially cautious about potentially lofty insurance costs, with 41% saying they would have delayed their test under the threat of higher premiums and over a third (36%) stating they would have delayed if fees increased for more than one attempt.
Despite awareness of the financial burden of failing, there’s limited support for increasing fees or premiums. Only 9% backed the idea of higher test fees for repeat attempts, and just 12% supported higher insurance costs for those who fail multiple times.
Tom Banks, car insurance expert at Go.Compare, said: “While learner drivers might not feel they’re testing too soon, the reality is that many will need multiple attempts to pass, and financial penalties could influence their timing – though not everyone agrees that higher costs are the right solution.
“Premiums are already at their most expensive once you've just passed, as you haven’t built up a no-claims bonus, with an average annual premium of £1,523 for those with less than a year’s experience under their belts.[4] This is especially true for younger drivers – aged between 17 and 24 – who are seen to be a higher risk.
“It’s important to strike the balance between encouraging better preparation and not penalising learners who might simply need more time or who struggle with test anxiety. Whether higher fees for tests or insurance would lead to better preparedness or simply add stress to an already challenging process remains to be seen.”
Find more information about driver opinions on higher fees for failed driving tests on the Go.Compare website.
Contact Information
Rubie Barker
Notes to editors
-ENDS-
For further information or interview requests, please contact: hannah@itworksagency.com
If used, please link to Go.Compare.
Notes to editors - about the data:
[1] Statistics relating to the number of attempts taken to pass a driving test in the year from April 2023 to March 2024 were sourced from the Department for Transport’s Transport Statistics Finder, table DRT0202.
[2] All opinions regarding whether driving test fees should be raised and whether the public believes they took their test too early were sourced from a YouGov survey of 2,000 UK respondents of varying demographics.
[3] Information regarding the RAC Foundation’s opinions on raising driving test fees was sourced from this BBC News article published on 8 July 2024.
[4] Sourced from the median cost of annual comprehensive car insurance for policies bought through Go.Compare between December 2023 and May 2024 when the policyholder is 17, 21 or 25. Only selected policies where the proposer is the main driver.
About Go.Compare
Go.Compare is a comparison website that enables people to compare the costs and features of a wide variety of insurance policies, financial products and energy tariffs.
It does not charge people to use its services and does not accept advertising or sponsored listings, so all product comparisons are unbiased. Go.Compare makes its money through fees paid by the providers of products that appear on its various comparison services when a customer buys through the site.
When it launched in 2006, it was the first comparison site to focus on displaying policy details rather than just listing prices, with the aim of helping people to make better-informed decisions when buying their insurance. It is this approach to comparing products that secured the company an invitation to join the British Insurance Brokers’ Association (BIBA) in 2008, and it is still the only comparison site to be a member of this organisation.
Go.Compare has remained dedicated to helping people choose the most appropriate products rather than just the cheapest and works with Defaqto, the independent financial researcher, to integrate additional policy information into a number of its insurance comparison services. This allows people to compare up to an extra 30 features of cover.
Go.Compare is part of Future Plc and is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). More information can be found here www.gocompare.com or here https://www.futureplc.com/brands/