For the first time since November 2024, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA) headline waiting-time figure for practical driving tests in Great Britain has finally dipped below the 20-week mark.

Coming in at 19.7 weeks – around five months – the figure is an improvement, although many test centres have recorded waits at the 24-week booking limit.

Two million+

To achieve this, the DVSA conducted a whopping 2.16 million tests in the past year, helped by an increase of 160 examiners and a crackdown on online test-hoarding scalpers who make life a misery for everyone.

While it’s not the seven-week average waiting time we were initially promised, at least it’s a step in the right direction. As of October, government officials are still aiming to hit the magic seven-week mark, but by autumn 2027 instead. Sigh.

“While driving test waiting times are still not where we want them to be, these figures show real progress is being made.”

Justin Madders, Minister for Roads

Hidden costs

Bringing down wait times can’t come soon enough. Research by Compare the Market shows the delays are having a very real-world effect on families’ bank balances. For instance:

  • The ‘Parent Taxi’ Tax: Compare the Market’s survey found that test-ready teenagers faced an average wait of two months. During this time, parents are driving an extra 31 miles a week to shuttle them to work, college, and social events.
  • The £138 Penalty: This extra driving adds up to £69 a month, meaning parents are spending an average of £138 on extra fuel and running costs while waiting for a test slot.
  • Ongoing Training Fees: Extended delays can also mean paying for additional driving lessons and extending temporary learner driver insurance cover to keep the teenager’s skills fresh. Costly, in other words.

Skyrocketing insurance

Clearing the backlog is even more urgent when you realise young drivers are already facing massive financial hurdles once they pass their test, primarily driven by soaring insurance rates:

  • 34% Price Hike: MoneySuperMarket data reveals that the cost of car insurance for drivers under 25 has surged by 34% since 2022. Ouch.
  • Massive Premiums: The average annual premium for a driver aged 24 or under is now a staggering £1,463 (up from £1,093 four years ago).
  • The Age Penalty: Young drivers are now paying an average of £831 more per year for insurance than older motorists.

Get moving

Let’s face facts: the current 19.7-week figure is still nearly three times the seven-week target. Yes, the DVSA’s latest progress is a step in the right direction, but young drivers and their cost-of-living-hit families need more than gradual improvements.

Clearing the backlog would at least spare families some of the extra expense of waiting – before they face the already hefty cost of getting a newly qualified driver on the road.

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Image by Dalle-E