Theory test – 1 in 3 qualified drivers fail

Last updated Auguest 21, 2018

More than 20,000 qualified motorists completed an online driving theory test and 1 in 3 qualified drivers failed.

Webuyanycar, the national online car buyer, asked drivers all over the UK to test their knowledge of common road signs and driving rules.

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Results

The interactive test was designed along the same lines as the official theory questions set for learner drivers by the DVSA.

The webuyanycar driving theory test results varied by age, sex and location.

Given that there are more newly qualified drivers in the 17-21 age group, it was surprising that they had the lowest pass mark of any age group. Drivers in the 46 to 65-year-old group had the highest pass rate.

Age Fail Pass
17-21 48% 52%
22-30 34% 66%
31-45 31% 69%
46-65 25% 75%
65+ 30% 70%

The online test showed pictures of various road signs all in use today and simple motoring questions similar to the official theory test. The webuyanycar test results showed a slightly lower pass rate for women.

Sex Fail Pass
Female 36% 64%
Male 23% 77%

The webuyanycar test results are at odds with the latest DVSA statistics showing 53.6% of women pass the official theory test whereas men have a 48.7% pass rate.

The pass rate for the webuyanycar driving theory test also depended on where a driver lives with more rural counties like Somerset, Denbighshire and Derbyshire coming top of the tables for pass rates. Some of the lowest pass rates were found in London and Middlesex, where the test was passed by only 2 out of 3 qualified drivers.

Webuyanycar supports Brake, the road safety charity.

Pass rates by County

County Fail Pass
Somerset 20% 80%
Denbighshire 21% 79%
Derbyshire 23% 77%
Devon 23% 77%
Lincolnshire 23% 77%
Pembrokeshire 23% 77%
Herefordshire 24% 76%
Berkshire 24% 76%
Glamorgan, Vale of 24% 76%
West Lothian / Linlithgowshire 24% 76%
Oxfordshire 24% 76%
Hampshire 25% 75%
Fife 25% 75%
Cumberland 25% 75%
Aberdeenshire 26% 74%
Sussex 26% 74%
Inverness-shire 26% 74%
Gloucestershire 26% 74%
Shropshire 26% 74%
Northumberland 26% 74%
Wiltshire 26% 74%
Midlothian / Edinburghshire 27% 73%
Norfolk 27% 73%
Ayrshire 27% 73%
Cheshire 27% 73%
Yorkshire 27% 73%
Carmarthenshire 27% 73%
Rhondda Cynon Taff 28% 72%
Essex 28% 72%
Newport, City of 28% 72%
Worcestershire 28% 72%
Surrey 28% 72%
Durham 29% 71%
Cambridgeshire 29% 71%
Warwickshire 29% 71%
Leicestershire 29% 71%
Monmouthshire 29% 71%
Swansea 29% 71%
Cardiff, City of 29% 71%
Stirlingshire 29% 71%
Kent 30% 70%
Bedfordshire 30% 70%
Nottinghamshire 30% 70%
East Lothian / Haddingtonshire 30% 70%
Perthshire 30% 70%
Buckinghamshire 30% 70%
Torfaen 31% 69%
Down, County of 31% 69%
Cornwall 31% 69%
Dorset 31% 69%
Renfrewshire 31% 69%
Flintshire 32% 68%
Antrim, County of 32% 68%
Ceredigion 32% 68%
Gwynedd 32% 68%
Hertfordshire 32% 68%
Northamptonshire 32% 68%
Staffordshire 32% 68%
Armagh, County of 32% 68%
Angus / Forfarshire 32% 68%
Merseyside 32% 68%
Lancashire 33% 67%
Powys 33% 67%
Lanarkshire 34% 66%
Wrexham 34% 66%
Greater London 34% 66%
London 35% 65%
Middlesex 35% 65%

About the webuyanycar driving theory test

Questions were taken from the actual DVSA test. People taking the test were asked to opt for one of four possible answers.

Over 20,000 took the test in May, June and July. The test is available online only.

96% of motorists taking the webuyanycar driving theory test were not webuyanycar customers, statistically they were representative of the UK qualified driving population.

Some counties are excluded from the above results where there was less than 100 test results.

About webuyanycar:

webuyanycar offers people a third way to sell their car, without the pressure of going to a dealer or the hassle of selling it privately.

Webuyanycar operates a simple three-step process:

  • The UK business offers to buy any car from £50 to over £100K, with payment within four working days. Same day payment is available at a cost of £24.75.
  • An easy-to-book appointment service at a local branch, providing times that are convenient and work to customers’ schedules.
  • A safe sale completed at a local branch manned by a friendly, approachable car-buying expert.

webuyanycar only sells through commercial channels.

webuyanycar is an official supporter of the charity Brake.