Tougher driving theory test leaves half of Blackpool learner drivers stumped
Pass rates are at a decade-long low nationwide after changes to exam questions last year, with fewer than half of would-be motorists getting the green light.
QUIZ: Could you pass a 2019 driving theory test?The AA called some of the questions "obscure" and said those sitting the test would need to study hard.
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Hide AdBlackpool's test centre conducted 5,318 theory tests between April 2018 and March this year - the most recent months where data was available - with 48 per cent of learners passing.
That is slightly above that national pass rate of 47 per cent, which has dropped by a quarter in the last decade, according to Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency statistics
The theory test, a standalone part of the driving test since 1997, has undergone reforms in recent years to make it harder.
They include upping the number of multiple-choice questions and stopping their publication in advance online, to prevent exam-takers from memorising answers.
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Hide AdMeanwhile, the hazard perception test, a video requiring learners to flag up dangers on the road, now simulates severe driving conditions such as snow and rain.
AA president Edmund King said: "There are lots of misconceptions about learning to drive.
"One of the most enduring is that you can pass the theory test with a bit of common sense and good luck. You can't."
He added: "Some of the questions are a little obscure and do not seem to reflect the reality of driving and perhaps need revisiting to ensure they are relevant to drivers.
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Hide Ad"The one that caught me out was the blue sign with a 30 and a red line through it denoting the end of a minimum speed limit area which I have never encountered in 40 years of driving."
Across Great Britain, more than 1.3m theory tests were conducted over the 12-month period.
Women performed strongest – 49 per cent went on to pass compared to 46 per cent of men.
Bodmin test centre, in Cornwall, had the lowest pass rate of any test centre, with only a third of 28 applicants successful.
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Hide AdIsle of Barra test centre, in Na h-Eileanan Siar (Outer Hebrides), by contrast, had the highest pass rate: 67% – double that of Bodmin.
Mark Winn, chief driving examiner for the DVSA, said: "It's essential that all drivers demonstrate they have the right skills, knowledge and attitude to drive safely."