Luckiest Time to Take Your Driving Test, Revealed

This Particular Morning Time Slot Resulted in an Average Pass Rate of 66.7% in Q1 2022

Before 7am is the ‘luckiest’ time to take your practical driving test, new research has revealed.

Recent pass rate data – provided to FindByPlate via a Freedom of Information (FOI) request to the DVSA – highlighted the aspects which impacted average pass rates for the time period spanning January 2022 to March 2022, including overall, by day, by time, and by location.

The data revealed an average pass rate of 47.1% (45% for females and 49.1% for males) in this period. However, the average has dropped compared to the data for year 2020/21, where the pass rate was 49.8%. In Q1 2022, overall Mondays had the highest pass rates, with an average pass rate of 48.2%. Tuesdays (47.7%), Sundays (47.4%), and Saturdays (47.2%) also had higher than average pass rates for this time period. When it came to time slots, morning slots avoiding rush hour had the highest pass rates: 06:30 – 06:59 (66.7%); 10:00 – 10:59 (48.3%); 09:00 – 09:59 (48.1%).

To give drivers the best chance at passing, the intersection of the best time and day to book your driving test was also analysed, with Wednesdays between 06:30 – 06:59am revealed as the most successful slot specifically. The top 10 day/time slots included:

Rank	Day	Time slot	Pass rate %(01/01/2022 to 31/03/2022)
1	Wednesday	06:30 – 06:59	100.0%
=2	Monday	17:00 – 17:59	66.7%
=2	Tuesday	17:00 – 17:59	66.7%
4	Sunday	07:00 – 07:59	55.6%
5	Friday	16:00 – 16:59	53.6%
6	Sunday	08:00 – 08:59	51.5%
7	Thursday	16:00 – 16:59	51.4%
=8	Thursday	06:30 – 06:59	50.0%
=8	Friday	06:30 – 06:59	50.0%
=8	Tuesday	09:00 – 09:59	50.0%

Craig Anderson, director at FindByPlate, commented:

“According to our findings, the early bird catches the worm, so where possible book your driving test to commence before 7am. If you can help it, avoid both the morning and evening rush hours, as well as weekend lunchtimes, as these time slots see significantly lower pass rates – as low as 25% for evening rush hour on Thursdays”.

2021/22 data also provided insight into location splits. Looking at the top 100 centres with the highest average pass rates in Q1 2022, 48% were in Scotland, 40% in England, and 12% in Wales.

Overall, the UK centres with the highest average pass rates in Q1 2022 were all based in Scotland, including:

1. Duns (83.2%)
2. Ullapool (77.5%)
3. Rothesay (76.5%)
4. Inveraray (75.1%)
5. Montrose (75%)
6. Aberfeldy (75%)
7. Hawick (74.5%)
8. Stranraer (74.%)
9. Campbeltown (73.9%)
10. Crieff (73.9%)

The England-based centres with the highest average pass rates in Q1 2022 included:

1. Dorchester (65.2% – position 28 overall)
2. Melton Mowbray (63.7% – position 32 overall)
3. Lee On The Solent (63.1% – position 33 overall)
4. Northallerton (63.1% – position 34 overall)
5. Chichester (62.9% – position 35 overall)
6. Kendal – Oxenholme Road (62.5% – position 37 overall)
7. Yeovil (62.4% – position 38 overall)
8. Hexham (62.1% – position 39 overall)
9. Hereford (61.7% – position 41 overall)
10. Hyde – Manchester (60.5% – position 43 overall)

The Wales-based centres with the highest average pass rates in Q1 2022 included:

1. Newtown (72.1% – position 13 overall)
2. Aberystwyth – Park Avenue (66.6% – position 23 overall)
3. Pembroke Dock (66% – position 26 overall)
4. Barry (61.4% – position 44 overall)
5. Llantrisant (60% – position 55 overall)
6. Abergavenny (58.3% – position 66 overall)
7. Brecon (58% – position 70 overall)
8. Merthyr Tydfil (56.1% – position 85 overall)
9. Monmouth (55.8% – position 86 overall)
10. Pwllheli (55.7% – position 88 overall)

The centres with the lowest average pass rates in Q1 2022 included:

1. Speke – Liverpool (27.9%)
2. Erith – London (28.6%)
3. Belvedere – London (31.4%)
4. Wanstead – London (33.2%)
5. Crewe (33.6%)
6. Rochdale – Manchester (33.9%)
7. Wallasey (35%)
8. Featherstone (35.1%)
9. Crawley (35.1%)
10. Birmingham – Sutton Coldfield (35.2%)

The top ten reasons for failing include: junctions (observation); mirrors – (change direction); junctions (turning right); response to signals (traffic lights); control (steering); response to signals (traffic signs); response to signals (road markings); move off (safely); positioning (normal driving); move off (control); response to signals (road markings); move off (safely); positioning (normal driving); move off (control).

For the full findings, visit: https://findbyplate.com/page/the-best-time-to-take-your-driving-test/