GETTING A DRIVING TEST – STILL A PROBLEM 😒

A estimated half a million learner drivers are waiting to take their test amid a huge backlog according to figures obtained by the AA Driving School. Driving tests were of course prohibited during coronavirus lockdowns, leading to a backlog of candidates and many people are still struggling to book a test without waiting several months. DVSA figures as at 22nd October showed 538,832 tests were booked for the following 24 weeks suggesting that if you have not got a test booked now having recently started to learn to drive there is at least a six month waiting time.

One of the consequences of this means that learners who have already taken their theory test run the risk of it expiring before they can take their practical test as the Governement will not extend the lifetime of a theory test certificates and so they have to take it again.

The DVSA has announced a series of measures to provide more test slots, including holding tests outside normal hours including on weekends and bank holidays, launching a campaign to recruit more examiners and asking recently retired examiners to return. However recruiting more examiners does not solve the immediate problem as they have to be trained to undertake the test. It has also urged learners to only take their test when they are confident they can pass – and they should listen carefully to their trainer who is best placed to make that judgement.