Why Driving Examiners in Great Britain Are Leaving Amidst Lengthy Test Waiting Times
The average wait for a practical driving test in Great Britain currently stands at 22 weeks. Despite the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) running 19 recruitment campaigns since 2021, the net number of driving examiners has only increased by 83. The National Audit Office has reported that plans to reduce the waiting time to seven weeks by the end of 2025 will now not be achieved until November 2027.
Many examiners have left the DVSA, often citing low wages and heavy workloads as primary reasons. While the DVSA's pay tops out at just over £30,000, some examiners have moved on to better-paying roles or have become driving instructors. For instance, Leon Woodman left the DVSA in 2023, and Jason Sykes, who left in 2016, later returned to instruct.
The booking system for driving tests faces issues such as bots and less reputable instructors buying up test slots to resell at inflated prices, which disadvantages genuine learners.
Anecdotes from the field highlight both safety pressures and the stress surrounding driving tests. One learner, aged 82, successfully passed after multiple attempts, while another incident involved a near-miss during a test, illustrating the challenges examiners and candidates face.
