Questions are being asked by driving instructors after a correlation between economic austerity and a slump in the number of driving test passes was identified by a Bedfordshire instructor. It has emerged that Luton is one of the worst places in the country for driving test failures, and instructor Lee Stonnnell points the finger of blame squarely at the economy.
Mr Stonnell, who has run the LADC School of Motoring in Bedfordshire for 25 years, believes that despite the hint of a slow but steady economic recovery, people still don’t have enough money to take the required number of lessons to enable them to have a good chance at passing their test. “Due to the cost, a lot of the time people go for private lessons with family and friends, which is fine as long as you mix it with enough professional lessons,” he commented.
Supported by the numbers
A study released by the DVSA may back Mr Stonnell’s opinion up. According to their records, Luton has the 10th lowest percentage of people who pass their driving test. Only 37% of those who sit their test at Luton pass, compared to a national average of 47.1%. That’s quite a marked difference for such a small geographic area, and may indicate that Mr Stonnell’s analysis of the situation is actually quite accurate.
Passing your driving test is not a cheap activity, and even with discounts for block bookings or special offers, can be difficult for young people in particular to afford. It can also be difficult for them to find the right driving instructor. Insurance is another consideration, as is the cost of purchasing and maintaining their first car. All of this can impact on their finances, and result in learners ‘cutting corners’ by asking non-qualified family and friends to teach them, and rely only on professional instructors for those last-minute lessons before the test itself. This is, as any instructor will tell you, a false economy, but is something that instructors are going to have to combat (particularly in Luton) if that pass rate is to improve.