Leeds found as the joint worst city to pass your driving test
Leeds was found to be the city with the joint lowest pass rate for driving tests.
There’s nothing quite like sitting your driving test. The shaky hands clutching on to 10 and 2 for dear life as you attempt three point turns whilst an instructor looks out for every mistake you could possibly make.
And whilst there’s nothing like that euphoric feeling when you reach the end with a certificate in hand, it’s certainly not an easy process.
For those sitting their test this month, car insurance searcher Compare The Market has revealed that this is actually the most promising month for hopeful future drivers, as it has the highest pass rate month of the year.
Coming in with a 51.4% pass rate, February is officially the month learners are most likely to pass their test, followed by the spring months of April, March and May, which come with a pass rate between 49.3% and 50.9%.
| Rank | Month | Pass rate (%) |
| 1 | February | 51.4% |
| 2 | April | 50.9% |
| 3 | March | 50.4% |
| 4 | May | 49.3% |
| 5 | July | 49.1% |
| 6 | June | 48.3% |
| 7 | August | 48.1% |
| 8 | January | 47.9% |
| 9 | September | 47.1% |
| 10 | October | 47% |
| 11 | November | 46.8% |
| 11 | December | 46.8% |
When considering the road conditions in the winter months, the study seems to make sense.
To come up with this list, the study used government driving test statistics from January 2017 – April 2022, before analysing the most popular cities for high pass rates.
However, the overall pass rate did vary between cities.
The city most likely to find a pass at the end of their driving test was found to be Cardiff with a 55% pass rate, closely followed by Bristol, Edinburgh, Nottingham and Manchester.
Leeds sits in joint last place of the studied cities, with a pass rate of 39%.
| Rank | City | Pass rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cardiff | 57% |
| 2 | Bristol | 55% |
| 3 | Edinburgh | 51% |
| 4 | Nottingham | 49% |
| 5 | Manchester | 46% |
| 6 | Sunderland | 45% |
| 6 | London | 45% |
| 7 | Sheffield | 44% |
| 8 | Glasgow | 43% |
| 9 | Coventry | 42% |
| 9 | Liverpool | 42% |
| 9 | Stoke-on-Trent | 42% |
| 10 | Leicester | 41% |
| 11 | Birmingham | 39% |
| 11 | Leeds | 39% |
In some parts of the country, driving test wait times are as long as six months (still), and so the study notes there’s more pressure for learner drivers to pass first time.
So what can be done to ensure that you can swap that red learner plate for a green one?
Gary Warrington, a Grade A driving instructor, revealed his expert tips on passing in winter:
- Practice when the weather conditions aren’t perfect
- Always allow plenty of space from the vehicles ahead of you
- Make sure you know how to switch on the headlights and wipers of the vehicle you’re driving while remaining in full control
- Never start driving with a misted-up front or rear windscreen – learn how to operate the controls to clear them and wait until you have full visibility before setting off (this is also important when sitting your test)
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You can find more information on the study and tips on how to pass your driving test on the Compare The Market website here.
Feature Image- Unsplash