The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has revealed the top 10 reasons people failed the new driving test in its first year.
The most common faults made during driving tests between 4 December 2023 and 3 November 2024 were:
- Junctions - observation
- Mirrors - change direction
- Control - steering
- Junctions - turning right
- Move off - safely
- Response to signs - traffic lights
- Move off - control
- Positioning - normal driving
- Response to signs - road markings
- Reverse park - control
Insufficient observation at junctions and not using mirrors effectively when changing direction accounted for 368.047 test failures.
The faults being made in driving tests reflect the factors that cause incidents on Great Britain's roads. In 2017, drivers failing to look properly contributed to 35,993 accidents. It was the most common contributory factor in accidents.
Failing to look properly at junctions is the most common serious or dangerous test fault and the largest cause of accidents in Britain. Good observation, including proper use of mirrors, is a crucial skill that drivers must learn.
