High Wycombe

Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, Driving Test Centre High Wycombe, Regus, 1 Ashton Court, Kingsmead Business Park, High Wycombe

Kingsmead Business Park, HP11 1 JU

Pass Rate
52.7%
Members
2

Test Statistics

High Wycombe passes 52.7% of candidates, a little above the national average of 48.6%. It is a quieter centre, running about 5 tests a day. The most common reason for failing is observation at junctions, which costs 9.5% of candidates their test.

High Wycombe driving test pass rate and statistics

Pass Rate
52.7%
National: 48.6%
Total Tests
1,155
~5.4 per day
First Attempt Rate
45.3%
Avg 2.1 attempts
Dangerous Faults
0.06
5.5% of tests have any
Serious Faults
0.89
46.0% of tests have any
Minor Faults
4.61
95.2% of tests have any

Common faults at High Wycombe

Most Common Fail Reasons

Junctions - observation9.5%
Common Scenarios:
  • Emerging at a T-junction or roundabout and causing another vehicle to slow down.
  • Emerging from a junction without adequate observations (even if clear).
  • Sailing through a crossroads without stopping and looking.
  • Joining a dual carriageway via a sliproad without sufficient mirror and blind spot checks.
  • Turning right in front of oncoming traffic, causing them to slow down.
Why More Common Here:
  • Junctions onto busy roads with fast flowing traffic, small gaps and the requirement to build speed quickly to avoid slowing others behind.
  • Short, curvy or otherwise awkward sliproads onto dual carriageways.
  • Busy high streets and main roads with poor visibility and bikes overtaking.
Junctions - turning right6.5%
Common Scenarios:
  • Incorrect positioning when turning right at junctions.
  • Not positioning to the right of the road when turning right.
  • Turning right at a roundabout using the incorrect lane.
  • Not using the waiting area in the middle of the road when waiting to turn right, therefore blocking traffic behind.
Why More Common Here:
  • Confusing road layouts, worn road markings and circuitous test routes involving waiting area for right turns.
  • Roundabouts with many exits making lane choice less obvious.
  • Roundabouts whose signs contradict the actual road geometry, making the 12 o'clock rule difficult to follow.
Response to traffic lights6.3%
Common Scenarios:
  • Driving through a red light.
  • Driving through an amber light when you could have stopped safely.
  • Hesitating unnecessarily at a green light, impeding the flow of traffic.
  • Incorrectly stopping at a red light that is meant for other drivers.
  • Ignoring or misinterpreting a green arrow filter light.
  • Not waiting in the middle of a box junction when turning right.
Why More Common Here:
  • High traffic volume in the area can pressure learners to avoid stopping for amber lights.
  • Confusingly located traffic lights.
  • Traffic lights placed on fast sections of road where learners feel pressured to make good progress.
  • Traffic lights placed within roundabouts, where learners are too focused on lane position and observations.
Progress - speed (too slow)6.0%
Common Scenarios:
  • Driving significantly below the speed limit on a clear road without a valid reason (especially if it impacts drivers behind or causes them to overtake).
  • Being hesitant to build speed on a sliproad so as to merge safely.
  • Slowing down excessively for minor hazards, such as slight bends.
  • Losing speed due to improper gear selection on a hill.
Why More Common Here:
  • Test routes that cross both 20 mph residential zones and regular 30 mph roads - learners may 'hedge' their bets by driving at 20 until they are sure the limit is 30.
  • Rural national speed limit roads.
  • Fast roads with hills and bends, requiring frequent gear changes to maintain progress.
  • Short sliproads necessitating confident acceleration.
Control - steering5.3%
Common Scenarios:
  • Steering too much, too little, too early or too late.
  • Mounting the curb when steering out of a junction.
  • Briefly driving on the wrong side of the road when turning through a junction.
Why More Common Here:
  • Tight junctions and narrow roads.
  • Sharp left or right turns on test routes.
Move off - safely4.8%
Common Scenarios:
  • When parked on the road, moving off and causing oncoming traffic to brake or swerve.
  • Not checking mirrors and blindspots when moving off from a parked position.
  • Not completing all 360° observations when continuing after an emergency stop.
Why More Common Here:
  • Test routes involve stopping on busier roads.
  • Test routes involve stopping on bendy residential roads with restricted visibility.
Mirrors - change direction4.6%
Common Scenarios:
  • Failing to check mirrors when exiting a roundabout.
  • Failing to check mirrors when changing lanes.
Why More Common Here:
  • Complex multi-lane roundabouts and one-way systems.
Move off - control4.5%
Common Scenarios:
  • Stalling from a parked position or in traffic.
  • Rolling back a considerable amount when moving off.
  • Attempting to move off when a gear is not selected.
Why More Common Here:
  • Hilly areas, especially around junctions.
  • Hilly roads with slow stop-start traffic, requiring consecutive hill starts.
Response to traffic signs4.4%
Common Scenarios:
  • Not coming to a complete stop at a stop sign.
  • Attempting to drive through a no-entry sign.
  • Attempting to drive through any other sign that restricts access (e.g. buses only).
  • Ignoring a give way sign and assuming priority.
  • Ignoring a keep left sign.
Why More Common Here:
  • Stop signs are rare in the UK, but may show up in this test centre area.
  • Confusing one-way systems.
  • Complex road signs restricting access (e.g. bus-only at certain times).
Control - gears3.5%
Common Scenarios:
  • Selecting a low gear at high speed, causing a sudden loss of speed and danger for vehicles behind.
  • Selecting a high gear at low speed, and possibly stalling.
Why More Common Here:
  • Test routes with numerous fast stretches of road, necessitating higher gears and more shifting.

Most Common Minor Faults

Move off - safely0.46
Common Scenarios:
  • When parked on the road, moving off and causing oncoming traffic to brake or swerve.
  • Not checking mirrors and blindspots when moving off from a parked position.
  • Not completing all 360° observations when continuing after an emergency stop.
Why More Common Here:
  • Test routes involve stopping on busier roads.
  • Test routes involve stopping on bendy residential roads with restricted visibility.
Progress - speed (too slow)0.39
Common Scenarios:
  • Driving significantly below the speed limit on a clear road without a valid reason (especially if it impacts drivers behind or causes them to overtake).
  • Being hesitant to build speed on a sliproad so as to merge safely.
  • Slowing down excessively for minor hazards, such as slight bends.
  • Losing speed due to improper gear selection on a hill.
Why More Common Here:
  • Test routes that cross both 20 mph residential zones and regular 30 mph roads - learners may 'hedge' their bets by driving at 20 until they are sure the limit is 30.
  • Rural national speed limit roads.
  • Fast roads with hills and bends, requiring frequent gear changes to maintain progress.
  • Short sliproads necessitating confident acceleration.
Progress - undue hesitation0.30
Common Scenarios:
  • Not emerging from a junction when it is safe to do so.
  • Waiting unnecessarily for another road user to pass who has clearly given way to you.
  • Failing to maintain momentum when joining a clear roundabout.
  • Ignoring shields and exit signals on mini-roundabouts and therefore missing many opportunities to proceed.
Why More Common Here:
  • Areas and times with fast, flowing traffic and non-obvious gaps.
  • Busy mini-roundabouts.
  • Test routes with stops along busy main roads.
Control - steering0.26
Common Scenarios:
  • Steering too much, too little, too early or too late.
  • Mounting the curb when steering out of a junction.
  • Briefly driving on the wrong side of the road when turning through a junction.
Why More Common Here:
  • Tight junctions and narrow roads.
  • Sharp left or right turns on test routes.
Move off - control0.24
Common Scenarios:
  • Stalling from a parked position or in traffic.
  • Rolling back a considerable amount when moving off.
  • Attempting to move off when a gear is not selected.
Why More Common Here:
  • Hilly areas, especially around junctions.
  • Hilly roads with slow stop-start traffic, requiring consecutive hill starts.
Vehicle checks0.19
Common Scenarios:
  • Getting either the show me or tell me question wrong (one minor fault).
  • Losing control of the car when answering the show me question.
Mirrors - change direction0.18
Common Scenarios:
  • Failing to check mirrors when exiting a roundabout.
  • Failing to check mirrors when changing lanes.
Why More Common Here:
  • Complex multi-lane roundabouts and one-way systems.
Mirrors - signalling0.17
Common Scenarios:
  • Checking mirrors after or at the same time as signalling.
Why More Common Here:
  • Test routes that involve frequent or rushed lane changes.
Control - gears0.17
Common Scenarios:
  • Selecting a low gear at high speed, causing a sudden loss of speed and danger for vehicles behind.
  • Selecting a high gear at low speed, and possibly stalling.
Why More Common Here:
  • Test routes with numerous fast stretches of road, necessitating higher gears and more shifting.
Junctions - observation0.17
Common Scenarios:
  • Emerging at a T-junction or roundabout and causing another vehicle to slow down.
  • Emerging from a junction without adequate observations (even if clear).
  • Sailing through a crossroads without stopping and looking.
  • Joining a dual carriageway via a sliproad without sufficient mirror and blind spot checks.
  • Turning right in front of oncoming traffic, causing them to slow down.
Why More Common Here:
  • Junctions onto busy roads with fast flowing traffic, small gaps and the requirement to build speed quickly to avoid slowing others behind.
  • Short, curvy or otherwise awkward sliproads onto dual carriageways.
  • Busy high streets and main roads with poor visibility and bikes overtaking.

Manoeuvres tested at High Wycombe

Emergency stopTested 31.6% of the time
Pass Rate
61.6%
Fail Rate
2.2%
Reverse rightTested 26.0% of the time
Pass Rate
51.7%
Fail Rate
8.7%
Reverse bay parkTested 25.0% of the time
Pass Rate
54.3%
Fail Rate
12.8%
Forward bay parkTested 23.9% of the time
Pass Rate
53.6%
Fail Rate
4.3%
Parallel parkTested 23.5% of the time
Pass Rate
54.8%
Fail Rate
14.7%

Best times to book at High Wycombe

Mon-Fri
07:00-08:00
Pass Rate
63.0%
~0.2 tests/day
Mon-Fri
09:00-10:00
Pass Rate
58.9%
~1.0 tests/day
Mon-Fri
15:00-16:00
Pass Rate
54.7%
~0.3 tests/day
Mon-Fri
08:00-09:00
Pass Rate
53.8%
~1.0 tests/day
Mon-Fri
13:00-14:00
Pass Rate
53.5%
~1.0 tests/day
Mon-Fri
12:00-13:00
Pass Rate
53.0%
~0.9 tests/day
Mon-Fri
All times
Pass Rate
52.7%
~7.5 tests/day
Mon-Fri
11:00-12:00
Pass Rate
52.5%
~1.0 tests/day
Mon-Fri
10:00-11:00
Pass Rate
50.9%
~1.0 tests/day
Mon-Fri
14:00-15:00
Pass Rate
45.6%
~0.8 tests/day
Mon-Fri
16:00-17:00
Pass Rate
38.7%
~0.2 tests/day

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