According to a survey of UK drivers by Independent Advisor Car Insurance, 88% of drivers who responded failed to get all five answers right to five common theory test questions with obvious answers (see below).
Even with a pass rate set at 80% – four out of five questions answered right – only 49% achieved a ‘pass’.
Most worrying, it’s the 17 to 24-years-old age group that failed the hardest with only 32% able to give four or more right answers; that’s less than one in three.
Big questions
Here are the questions – and how UK drivers responded:
1. What, if anything, do you think triangular road signs indicate?
The triangle represents a warning sign; alas, 21% didn’t know the answer with nearly 32% of 17 to 24-year-olds getting it wrong.
2. What lights, if any, do you think are appropriate to turn on when driving on the motorway at night, when there are cars ahead of you?
Bewilderingly, one in five drivers think you should turn on your main beam headlights if driving at night on the motorway. The right answer? Dip those headlights so you don’t dazzle people ahead of you.
3. What, if anything, do you think the legal speed limit on a motorway is, if no signs indicate otherwise?
Thankfully, the vast majority of folk – nearly 80% – know that the speed limit is 70mph. However, this drops to only 48% in the 17-24 age group.
4. When driving on a wet road, what time gap, if any, do you think you need to leave between your car and the car in front of you?
The answer is 4-5 seconds with only 26% getting the correct answer. Thankfully, the majority of the wrong answers were on the cautious side ranging from six up to 13 seconds. Whether the respondents practise what they preach is another question entirely…
5. What, if anything, do you think you should do if you have to quickly slow down when driving on the motorway?
Good news as over 70% stated the correct answer – turn on your hazard lights – but again, 17-24 year olds came in last on 61%.
Other factors
If you’re a woman, then you’re officially smarter than men when it comes to the theory test. According to the results, more females answered three out of the five questions correctly compared to males.
Location is also considered in the survey with Greater London drivers being the least knowledgeable – 64% would fail their theory test with an average of two correct answers out of five. At the other end of the scale, it’s Scotland that has the most clued-up drivers with over 56% getting at least four questions right.
Crucial learning
The importance of the theory test and safer driving is huge with Connor Campbell, Independent Advisor Car Insurance explaining: “It’s shocking how many motorists don’t know the rules when it comes to the basics of safe driving practices … With fixed penalty notices witnessing a sharp rise since the code change in 2022, it’s also crucial to regularly revisit the Highway Code to ensure you are up-to-date with the latest road laws.”
To help you nail your theory test – whether you’re a learner or a qualified driver who wants to keep up to date – Theory Test Pro offers a user-friendly platform to learn the rules of the road.
It also allows your instructor to monitor your progress and help identify if you have any blindspots that can be addressed before your test – not once you’ve failed.
Know Your Code
Double your chances of theory test success with Theory Test Pro. Sign up for free here.