Preparing and taking your driving test is usually expensive, time-consuming and stressful but for many young people, passing your driving test is a major rite of passage and signals becoming a bit more grown up. Many people have stories about driving or driving tests but here is a list of facts about the driving tests that you probably didn’t know:
1. France was the first country to introduce a driving test back in 1893 when they also introduced registration plates and parking restrictions. The test wasn’t introduced to Britain until 1935 so some Brits who were keen on getting a licence went to Paris to take the French test.
2. In Britain the test initially cost 37.5p while the current cost is £31 for the theory test and £62 for the practical test. You also have to pay £50 for your provisional licence.
3. Back in 1935 when the test started in the UK there weren’t any test centres so candidates would pre-arrange a suitable spot to meet up with their examiner.
4. Back in the early years of driving-tests the pass rate was around 60% while the average these days is 46%. But the pass rates vary greatly between the various test centres; a test centre in rural Scotland has a pass rate of 68% while one in London only has 30%. The reason is of course that urban environments are a lot more challenging to manoeuver and many people living in a big city like London don’t have access to a car so get a lot less private practice than what is recommended. So those who practice in their mum’s <a href="http://www.baylis.uk.com/vauxhall/used-cars/Vauxhall/Astra">used Vauxhall Astra, Stroud</a> on top of the instructor lead tuition are better off than people with no access to cars living in inner-city London.
5. There is no legal requirement in the UK to have lessons before trying to pass your test but the Driving Standards Agency recommends that people practicing for their driving test have 45 hours of official tuition and around 22 hours of private practice.
6. During World War II between September 1939 and November 1946 and during the Suez crisis from November 1956 to April 1957 driving tests were suspended.
7. Since the start in 1935 the driving test has changed several times. Until 1975 you had to demonstrate arm signalling and from 1991 doing a reverse parking manoeuvre became compulsory.
8. The theory test was introduced as late as 1996 but before this the examiner would ask some Highway Code questions at the end of the test but if the candidate didn’t know the answer it would only count as a minor fault so the candidate wouldn’t fail.
9. 32 million people in the UK currently hold driving licences and this constitutes 70% of the adult population. In total the Driving Standards Agency conducts 1.5 million car tests a year.
10. On average it takes women 52 lessons and 2.1 attempts to pass their test while it takes men 36 lessons and 1.8 attempts. But according to Home Office figures women make safer drivers than men with male drivers making up 96% off all dangerous driving offences.
By: smithandy
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