REVEALED: Wick and Thurso rate high in best UK locations to pass your driving test
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The main towns in Caithness, Wick and Thurso, rank high in a list of UK locations where you are most likely to pass your driving test, according to Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) data.
The information was shared by cinch, described as the "faff-free way" to buy a car online, which analysed DVSA data released at the end of 2023 to reveal most of the UK driving centres with the highest success rates for driving tests are in Scotland, especially in small towns and remote areas.
Thurso has one of the highest pass rates in June last year with an 81.8 rating and in July it was 72.7. "That is a really high rate as they are all out of 100 and there are only a few places that reach the 80s and 90s and they are mostly in Scotland," said a PR agent.
Wick also faired well with a 76.5 top rating that occurred in July last year.
Sam Sheehan, motoring editor at cinch, said: “Between April 2023 and September 2023, there were several months where Scottish locations such as Ballater, Benbecula Island, Duns, the Isle of Skye and Mallaig saw every single candidate pass their driving test without fault.”
There were 865,703 exams were carried out between April 2023 and September 2023 across the UK, with an average pass rate of 48.8 per cent.
Within this timeframe, 50 per cent of all aspiring male drivers were awarded a driving licence at the end of the test. As for women learners, 47.3 per cent of wannabe motorists passed their tests, registering the highest female pass rate in at least 15 years.
Locations with the highest percentage of successful driving tests
Most of the UK driving centres with the highest success rates for driving tests are in Scotland, especially in small towns and remote areas.
Sam Sheehan, motoring editor at cinch, said: “According to DVSA figures, aspiring motorists taking their driving test north of the border tend to have an above-average chance of nailing their exam.
“Considering that the average pass rate in the UK stands at 48.8 per cent, these areas – as well as their test centres – have plenty to be proud of.
“The Angus-based town of Arbroath seems to brim with talented driving students. In September 2023, 91 per cent of its 45 budding drivers passed their test, meaning learners in this part of the world know how to confidently hit the road behind the wheel of a used VW or BMW and perform on exam day.”
Locations with the lowest percentage of pass rates
London has recently been crowned the slowest city in the UK for drivers, with a 10km journey taking 37 minutes and 20 seconds on average. It’s fair to say, then, that the capital city of England isn’t the easiest place to navigate in the UK.
The location that registered the worst pass rate anytime between April 2023 and September 2023 was Castle Douglas in Dumfries and Galloway.
Learners who took their exam in Castle Douglas in June 2023 had a tough time earning their driving licence, with only 12 out of 40 people (30 per cent) becoming fully qualified motorists at the end of the test. However, it might just have been an anomalous month, as the overall percentage of successful driving tests there stands at 55.7 per cent – significantly better than the national average.
