First time pass rate at Leeds is low but half of Horsforth learners get their licence

While nearly half of learner drivers who took their first test at the Horsforth Test Centre last year gained their licence,

The RAC Foundation warned the real challenge for newly qualified drivers comes after their test as they are much more likely to have a crash in their first year on the road.

Hopeful students made 2,833 first attempts at passing their car driving test at Leeds Test Centre in 2019-20, Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency figures show. Of those, 965 were successful, which at a pass rate of 34% was one of the lowest of any test centre in Britain included in the data.

At Horsforth, hopeful students made 4,425 first attempts and 2,081 were successful, which at a pass rate of 47% was on a par with the average of 46% across Britain last year.

RAC Foundation director Steve Gooding said test centres in quieter locations may prove less challenging on the day than those in congested urban areas.

He said: “Every driver knows that passing the test is only the first hurdle – the real challenge comes when a newly qualified driver has to take full responsibility themselves.

Of the 2,833 first attempts made at Leeds Test Centre, four drivers passed with no faults. Of the 4,425 first attempts made at Horsforth Test Centre, 59 drivers passed with no faults.

They were among 10,375 learners across Britain who passed on their first attempt without putting a foot wrong.

Edmund King, president of the AA, said pass rates can be affected by many factors before the test, including the number of lessons a learner takes, their level of experience and road layouts in the area.