If you’re a learner preparing to take your driving test, you’ll probably need all the help you can get to pass first time. However, it seems as well as getting plenty of experience behind the wheel, the time, day and date on which you take your test can be a big factor in helping to determine if you pass.
The best time of day to take your test
According to data from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), the best time to book your test is between 7pm and 9pm when roads are quieter and most drivers are in less of a hurry. But remember, taking your test later in the day means the test will cost £75 rather than the standard daytime charge of £62. Around two thirds (65%) of those taking evening tests pass.
The worst time slot is between 11am and 1pm with a pass rate of 48%, while the early morning slot of 7am to 9am – when you would assume people would be at their most alert – returns a 50% pass rate.
The best day on which to take your driving test
The DVSA stats show the best day to take a driving test is a Monday with a pass rate of 46.9%. If you can’t make a Monday, the pass rates for the other weekdays are as follows:
- Tuesday: 46.4%
- Thursday: 45.8%
- Saturday: 45.7%
- Wednesday: 45.7%
- Friday: 45%
- Sunday: 43.3%
The best month to take your driving test
The top three months in which to take your driving test are August (46.3% pass rate), April (46.2% pass rate) and December (46% pass rate).
The best time, day and date for your driving test
The stats therefore would suggest that the best time, day and date to take your driving test and pass would be between 7pm and 9pm on a Monday in April.
And the best place to take your test?
The national UK pass rate is around 50% but some driving test centres have far higher figures. DVSA data shows pass rates are as high as 92% in Mallaig, in the Highlands of Scotland. However, just 14 tests were take, with 13 being passed.
Other rural test centres also record impressive pass rates, with the Isle of Mull, Ballater, Islay Island and Crieff all having pass rates above 80%. However, the stats are somewhat skewed by the tiny number of learners taking tests at these centres.
Lee On The Solent in Hampshire is the busiest location based on the list of the top 50 driving test pass rate test centres. It conducted 3,316 and passed 2,254 new drivers (68%).
This is followed by Yeovil, which has a pass rate of 65.9% after 2,225 tests and Dorchester, where the pass rate is 65.4% after 2,495 tests.
The lowest pass rate between April and September 2021 was Erith in south-east London at 27.5%, based on 2,177 tests and just 599 passes.
Belvedere in south-east London has a pass rate of 30.6% but there are also tough places to pass outside of the capital.
The driving test pass rate in Carlisle is just 35.7% and is around 37% in parts of Birmingham.
Learner driver insurance to ease your nerves
Nerves are cited as one of the main reasons that learner drivers fail their driving tests. To help put your nerves at ease, get reliable learner driver insurance from the specialists at Sterling.
Sterling’s learner driver car insurance is flexible, policies can be taken out on a month-by-month basis, and can cost from as little as 77p a day.
Once you pass your test you can transfer your policy to one of our young driver policies with one swift call – phone 0344 381 9990 for a hassle free no obligation quote.
