Are driving test examiners set targets?
The idea that Driving Test Examiners are set targets made it into the news again in 2015 but is there really any truth to it?
Paul Bennie, an ex Driving Test Examiner claimed it was part of his job to fail almost two-thirds of women learners, supporting the idea that driving examiners are set targets.
Paul worked for the DVSA for less than a year and claimed he was “introduced to the Chi system” which generates the average pass percentages, according to the Daily Record in 2015.
Paul claimed the computer-generated pass marks meant 35-38% of women students, and 43-45% of male students would pass, adding that:
“Examiners could be told that one week they were too high on male passes, then the next week too high on female passes.
“They would fail some people to average it out.”
While the DVSA do use computer programmes to predict pass rates, they heavily deny the use of any computer system to set targets for examiners or alter the outcome of any test.
Each driving test centre has its own pass rates, which is heavily dependent upon its location.
For instance, a rural test centre with less traffic and less complicated roads are likely to have a higher pass rate than a busy city centre.
A spokesman for the DVSA has said:
“Examiners are never given a target pass rate and every test is assessed on its own merits.”
It is a common urban legend that examiners have to fail a certain percentage of tests a month, with overly confident students often believing their failed test was unfair or ‘fixed’.
With over 2000 driving examiners in the UK, none of which is stepping forward to support Paul’s claims, he is facing very strong scepticism.
The actual Driving Test pass rates for 2019 are 42.5% for women and 49.9% for men.
While the DVSA strongly deny that there are any set pass targets, it’s vital that learner drivers only book their Practical Driving Test when their instructor says they are ready.
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