UK’s Young Driver training company reveals biggest cause of driving test failures

Passing your driving test is an important moment in any teenager or young adult’s life, opening the gateway to great independence and a sense of freedom.

But it isn’t always smooth sailing, with many drivers (including yours truly) failing on their attempts. New research by the UK’s leading driver training company for under-17s, Young Driver, has revealed that nervousness, rather than a lack of technical skills, is the leading cause of failures.

The study found that 73% of former Young Driver pupils had failed primarily due to nervousness. The high number is in part attributed to 65% of instructors believing that either pupils or their parents were pushing for a test booking before they were ready.

Although it’s hardly a surprise that young people are keen to get a test booked as quickly as possible, as the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) continues to battle the large backlog of tests accumulated during the pandemic. Figures issued by the DVSA in April 2025 showed that learner drivers were currently waiting over six months for a slot at 57% of its UK test centres.

This is why Young Driver has continued to push its business model, which allows under-17s to gain the necessary skills early, away from public roads, to boost confidence and reduce the number of lessons needed once they turn 17. The company currently boasts a 73% pass rate for its former students, compared to the national average of 47%.

“How frustrating it must be to wait half a year to take your test, and then be told that you’ve failed and need to reapply?” said Ian Mulingani, MD of Young Driver. “Having appropriate levels of confidence during your test is vital, and combined with the right technical skills, will give you the tools you need to pass first time. Early driver training, well before youngsters hit 17, boosts that confidence and ultimately creates safer drivers.”

words: Mike Booth
pictures: Young Driver