Obtaining a driver’s license is a tedious process for many people. Every year, thousands of applicants face the theory exam. Theory exams may seem easy, but they require memory, concentration, and patience. According to the latest data from the Directorate General of Transport (DGT): It’s not so easy to pass on the first try Apparently so.
The first-time pass rate in 2015 was 71.2%, but it has fallen to 58.9% 10 years later (until August 2025). These data are surprising given that the exam model has remained unchanged for decades, and could indicate that candidates’ preparation and study habits may have changed.
There are people who say. This theoretical test is more difficult for themThis could be due to being inconsistent when taking a test, getting stuck in your studies, or encountering the most difficult questions on the exam (because a certain percentage of luck also affects passing the test). But for some, the difficulty reaches its extreme. According to AA Driving Schools, some candidates in the UK have taken the written exam more than 100 times.

It was published in media such as sky news Either independentAt AA Driving School, students have already taken the test a total of 128 times. Expenditure £2,944 (approximately 3,340 euros). And this was done without starting any classes or practical exams.
Although his case is extreme, he is not the only one who has had to take the same exam dozens of times. Another student took 75 exams (more than £1,700). In addition to these figures, obtained through a public information access request to the Driving Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), the country’s pass rates were also shared. In the academic year 2024-2025, the score was 44.9% for the written exam and 48.7% for the practical exam.
Some people may need several attempts to pass a theory test, but the cases caught by AA driving schools are extreme. Driving school teachers spend weeks or months preparing students to successfully take the written test and share recommendations with them to help them during the test.
Some of the most repeated advice is about preparing in advance. The key is located at practice a lotTo do this, you need to run all available tests and tests for errors, and do so continuously to gradually minimize the number of failures. The ability to memorize is also important, as some questions and content (such as top speed) need to be learned this way.
Once the exam begins, you can also perform tricks such as: don’t believe in absolute words “Always,” “never,” “all,” “only,” etc. Evaluate longer or more detailed answers as they are more likely to be the correct answer. Pay attention to images accompanying questions only if it is specifically mentioned (e.g. “in the context of images”). Otherwise, it can lead to confusion and mistakes. Please ignore unfamiliar answers…
Once you have answered all the questions, if you have time, It is important to review Make sure the marked option is actually the one you wanted to select.