Cumbria town ranked one of best places to pass driving test

Kendal was ranked as the 10th best centre in the UK for driving test pass rate from April to December 2022 at 67.4%, and it was also the only English centre in that top 10.

Driving tests can be nerve-wracking experiences to say the least - ask anyone who has passed - but there are several ways in which you can give yourself the best chance.

The most important thing is to get your practice in, nail your manoeuvres, and ask an abundance of questions. 

You'll only pass when you're good and ready.

4️⃣ things to build confidence in a learner if you're teaching them to drive:

☝️ Remind them to stay below levels their instructor's set
🗺️ Plan routes in advance
😊 Discuss mistakes calmly to avoid nerves building
💃 Have fun and enjoy it.#learningtodrive #drivinglessons pic.twitter.com/r0xiJJ188u

— Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency (@DVSAgovuk) June 1, 2023

However, new data now suggests that those that hailing from Kendal will have a better chance than most, always good to have an advantage, right?

Cuvva, leading providers of short-term learner driver car insurance, published data which shows a massive 50% difference in pass rates between the easiest and hardest driving test centres in the country. 

Darryl Bowman, from Cuvva, said: “There is a massive difference between test centre pass rates in Britain. 

"Isolated rural areas often have higher pass rates than busy urban areas, but sometimes even within individual cities there are big differences from centre to centre."

View of Kendal, Cumbria from The Helm near Natland and Oxenholme, Kendal (Getty) (Image: Getty)

The top three hardest places to pass your driving test, according to the Driving Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA’s) driving test data from April to December 2022 were Speke, Liverpool, with a low pass rate of 27.1%. 

Erith, London, followed with a pass rate of 32.2% and Wolverhampton in the West Midlands had a slightly higher pass rate, 35.3%.

Top 10 places with high pass rates

The majority of the 10 test centres with the highest pass rates were further up north and mostly in Scotland:

1. Forfar (Angus) - 76.6%
2. Kelso (Scottish Borders) - 74.6%
3. Montrose (Angus) - 74.5%
4. Peebles (Scottish Borders) - 74.5%
5. Hawick (Scottish Borders) - 74.3%
6. Arbroath (Angus) - 71.5% 
7. Stranraer (Dumfries and Galloway) - 69.1% 
8. Lerwick (Shetland) - 68.7%
9. Golspie (Highland) - 68.6%
10. Kendal (Cumbria) - 67.4%

🚦 When starting private practice, involve the learner's driving instructor so they can:

👨‍🏫 advise when the learner can drive under supervision
🛣️ help plan sessions at the right level
🚙 invite you to observe a lesson before supervision begins#learningtodrive #drivinglessons pic.twitter.com/TQQfP517Tf

— Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency (@DVSAgovuk) May 30, 2023

Here are the 10 toughest driving test centres:

1. Speke (Liverpool) - 27.1% – (Southport - 55.6%)
2. Erith (London) - 32.2% – (Sidcup - 55%)
3. Wolverhampton (West Midlands) - 35.3% – (Birmingham Shirley - 48.6%) 
4. Crawley (West Sussex) - 35.6% – (Redhill Aerodrome - 53.1%)
5. Wednesbury (West Midlands) - 35.9% – (Birmingham Shirley - 48.6%) 
6. Belvedere (London) - 36% – (Bromley London - 53.4%)
7. Greenford (London) - 36.4% – (Pinner London - 48%)
8. Glasgow Shieldhall (Glasgow) - 36.4% - (East Kilbride 46.6%)
9. Bury (Greater Manchester) - 37.1% – (Bredbury Manchester 54.7%)
10. Plymouth (Devon) - 37.4% – (Newton Abbott 50.5%)

 
Bowman said: “The easiest and most affordable way for young drivers to practise driving outside of lessons with a trusted supervisor is by topping up with short-term learner car insurance when they want to get behind the wheel.

"It’s essentially a standalone policy.

"Young drivers can get insured by the hour whenever they want to practise in the family car, and parents are able to protect their no-claims bonus.”

The average price for a short-term learner policy is around £12.64 an hour.