Learner driver sits test 110 times

A 28-year-old woman has sat her driving theory test 110 times, costing the unnamed candidate a whopping £3,410 in test fees. It’s unknown whether the candidate actually passed her driving theory test at the 110th attempt.

Reported by the Daily Mirror, the figures released under a Freedom of Information Act request to the Driver and Vehicle Licencing Agency (DVLA) stand as a new record for failing the first section of the UK’s two-part driving test.

On Bing: see pictures of the driving test

MSN Cars’ learner driver guide

The book-based section of the test costs £31 to sit and consists of two parts itself, including 50 multiple choice questions – of which candidates need to answer 43 correctly within 57 minutes to pass.

The second section is made up of 14 ‘hazard perception’ video clips that show developing hazards. Learner drivers need to score 44 or more out of 75 to pass this part of the theory test.

The theory assessment is often considered the easier part of the overall driving examination, with the practical section widely regarded as more difficult.

The theory element has a pass rate of 65.4%, while the practical section lags behind with a pass rate of just 53.8%, meaning nearly one in two learner drivers actually fail at the driving element.

The figures revealed confirmed that plenty of drivers also repeatedly struggled with the on-road part of the driving test – a 40-year-old man from Stoke-on-Trent reportedly spent £2,294 on a record 37 driving tests before he passed.

Learners have to pass their theory tests before they are allowed to put in for their practical exam. This second part of the driving test costs £62 to sit on a weekday, rising to £75 for a weekend or bank holiday test.

With the AA driving school recommending learners take 44 lessons before applying for their practical driving test, the cost of getting on the road could be over £1,000.

The new stats also don’t do anything to dispel the age-old myth (and one that MSN doesn’t subscribe to – here’s why) that men are better drivers than women.

Five female residents of Heckmondwike, West Yorkshire took an amazing 158 practical driving tests between them, amounting to total combined costs of around £10,000 and ranking them in the top 20 learners in the UK.

On Bing: see pictures of the driving test

MSN Cars’ learner driver guide

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By motoringresearch.com