Driving theory test. Should there be a limit?

Yes 4allweknow - DD2 is disabled. She had lessons (twice the price) with a specialist school in their dual controlled vehicle, fitted with the hand controls she needed. She then got her first Motability car in the June, was 17 at the end of August and passed her practical test a week later in her own car.

* There are driving schools which offer youngsters some sort of lessons on private land, I think Sunderland Football Club allow their carpark to be used for this.

Having coached and tested various grandchildren over the years, I can attest to the fact that the theory test is not easy to pass. Some of the questions are quite technical, others can be misinterpreted easily. The questions bear little relation to the ability to drive a car. I had a 65 yr old friend whom I was helping to practice for her practical driving test, and she would stay up very late the night of her test, cram till the early hours then attend the test centre and pass with 100%. She would continually fail her practical test, give up for a while, then restart lessons. She then had to retake the theory test as her poor learning method led to zero retention.

We had a friend who failed her practical test more than a dozen times, fortunately she gave up after that. Her husband was also a terrible driver (who had passed his test) and drove hunched over the wheel. He once complained that he had been tailgated by HGV's when he was doing 40mph on a motorway.

BlueBelle

One thing for sure Dyslexia and ADHD can effect it I know people who cannot do multi choice questions but know the answer perfectly when asked and are also very good drivers
It’s not always that they don’t know the answers or are not good drivers multichoice can really make it hard for some people and muddle them up

My daughter has ADHD but finds it very easy to pass exams of any kind and passed the theory test first time. However she had a panic attack during the first practical test and failed. She passed the second time and has been an excellent driver ever since.

There are driving schools which offer youngsters some sort of lessons on private land, I think Sunderland Football Club allow their carpark to be used for this.
I can remember my brother taking me to a disused airfield where he let me practise in his precious car!

Getting a driving licence in Germany is a lot tougher than it is in the UK. I member that DD had just failed her test her in the UK and we happened to have my German teacher opposite number staying on the school exchange. She told us that you have to have a mental ability test there. DD promptly burst into tears!

Grandmotherto8

Having coached and tested various grandchildren over the years, I can attest to the fact that the theory test is not easy to pass. Some of the questions are quite technical, others can be misinterpreted easily. The questions bear little relation to the ability to drive a car. I had a 65 yr old friend whom I was helping to practice for her practical driving test, and she would stay up very late the night of her test, cram till the early hours then attend the test centre and pass with 100%. She would continually fail her practical test, give up for a while, then restart lessons. She then had to retake the theory test as her poor learning method led to zero retention.

I've just done a practice theory test and was surprised that some of the questions were more First Aid than Driving Theory.
I got one of the traffic signs wrong, mistaking a sign for humps for a hump bridge. We have lots of road humps around here and I haven't seen any signs.

My Gs failed numerous times due to dyslexia, his mum found him a tutor who guaranteed he would pass next time and he did, he passed his practical first time. However I do agree when you are reaching over 10 attempts then something needs to be reviewed, although I doubt I could pass without a lot of revision

One of my sons had terrible trouble passing the theory test but did get it eventually, he's not stupid but his brain just doesn't work the same way as the test!

Well its up to her not your decision is it.

Young girls at work who need to pass are spending most of their income trying to pass their tests one girl has spent over £3000 in lessons and tests I feel for them. We work on an industrial estate and they are getting taxis to work each day.

😲

How difficult can it be?
DD just passed hers first time; she did revise of course.

I would be much more concerned if a person had failed their practical test a huge number of times. Let's face it how many of us actually took a theory test at all?

I had 4 tests..which i failed..made the descion to change instructors....
PASSED.The first guy was just wrong for me....Dont give up if your determined

It’s actually quite a tricky test. Both my husband and I tried online mock version, when our son was failing his. We kept wondering how hard can it be….and both of us failed. We’ve been driving many years and learnt way before they had theory tests. The questions were a bit obscure and not everyday scenarios that we’d ever be faced with. There were a few tram questions in there too. I know trams are in some parts of the country but they’re not in SE Essex.
It’s worth a look if you ever get the chance.

My son failed on the same thing every time which involved clicking a switch when something came into view on screen….and he was the driver of a moving vehicle. He was convinced there was a time delay in him clicking the switch.

Some questions are very odd.

One related to a lorry but this was an online theory test for a car licence.

I passed first time but I didn’t have a written test.
I think that if a person has had about 5 written test and failed, they should be given the chance to do it orally.

I live in Europe so have driven in many countries and have lived on the Chinese mainland. I find the UK dual carriage ways with potholes the most challenging, especially with the huge lorries driving at the maximum speed.

To have my Chinese driving license I had to pass both a visual and a hearing test, as well as give my age and weight. Moreover, in the early 90s woman over 50 were not permitted to drive but men were.

When my son took his theory test he got the highest score they had ever recorded.

PS Pretty sure I wouldn’t pass it though.

I think the only limit is whether you can afford to keep taking the test.

Thanks Feet Up. Absolutely no knowledge of that exception.

I passed my full car driving test in 1975, age 17, when the only theory was the examiner asking me to identify a couple of road signs. Fast forward to my 50th year, when I decided to go for a motorcycle licence. By then the on-line theory rest had materialised, but I passed first time with 97% accuracy. So, yes, it is possible for more, ahem, mature drivers to pass the up to date theory test. Passed the practical motorcycle test on 2nd attempt, so it is possible for old dogs to learn new tricks

I took 3 attempts to pass my driving test as nerves got the best of me when doing tests. Even now I don’t like driving with my husband in the passenger seat of my car. It is a small car & hubby is tall & so mainly sits facing me. I feel like I’m being tested again & make silly small mistakes when he is there ( not helped by the fact that he was a driving instructor for about a year many years ago).

Primrose53

When my son took his theory test he got the highest score they had ever recorded.

You can't get more than 100%

Allira

Primrose53

When my son took his theory test he got the highest score they had ever recorded.

You can't get more than 100%

But nobody at that centre had ever scored 100% before.
I should be in bed really, overtired and not explaining very well