Driving test survey reveals alarming results

4:43pm Thursday 6th March 2008

More than 18 million UK motorists believe they would fail their driving test if they had to take it again, according to new research.

In the North East, 50 per cent of drivers admitted that there is a high chance they wouldn't pass if they had to re-sit the exam, compared to a UK average of 52 per cent.

And, across the UK, it's women who have the least confidence in themselves, with 59 per cent thinking they would struggle to pass compared to just 46 per cent of men.

Worryingly, only 21 per cent of drivers in the North East were able to identify a No Waiting' sign while 14 per cent didn't know what the sign for keep left' looked like.

Alarmingly almost one in 10 couldn't recognise the no overtaking' sign either.

Steve Grainger head of the new comparison website www.insurance.co.uk, which carried out the poll said: "It's a fact of life that roads can be dangerous and we're used to blaming other drivers for this. But we must also look closer to home; our own driving skills aren't up to scratch either.

"Even the most competent driver, after years on the road, can become complacent. Many drivers assume that passing their test is where the learning stops and the open road begins. However, our research shows that bad habits come all too easy."

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