Workington

Workington Driving Test Centre, Moss Bay House 40 Peart Road, Derwent Howe Industrial Estate, Workington

Workington, CA14 3YT

Pass Rate
56.2%
Members
5

Test Statistics

Workington passes 56.2% of candidates, a little above the national average of 48.6%. It is a quieter centre, running about 7 tests a day. The most common reason for failing is observation at junctions, which costs 9.2% of candidates their test. Tests booked on a Saturday between 08:00 and 09:00 do best, passing 63.2%.

Workington driving test pass rate and statistics

Pass Rate
56.2%
National: 48.6%
Total Tests
1,610
~7.5 per day
First Attempt Rate
54.5%
Avg 1.8 attempts
Dangerous Faults
0.01
0.6% of tests have any
Serious Faults
0.70
43.4% of tests have any
Minor Faults
5.24
98.3% of tests have any

Common faults at Workington

Most Common Fail Reasons

Junctions - observation9.2%
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.
Move off - safely5.2%
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.
Move off - control4.6%
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 lights3.9%
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.
Mirrors - change direction3.6%
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.
Judgement - crossing3.3%
Common Scenarios:
  • Turning right across the path of an oncoming vehicle, failing to anticipate its speed.
Why More Common Here:
  • Certain right turns on fast roads with poor visibility, requiring expert judgement.
Clearance / obstructions2.7%
Common Scenarios:
  • Driving too close to a vehicle when passing, even though the road allows for more space.
  • Driving too close to parked vehicles or other fixed structures.
Why More Common Here:
  • Narrow roads with limited space for cars to give way to each other.
  • Awkwardly placed width restrictors.
  • High levels of traffic and/or bus routes on narrow roads.
Response to traffic signs2.3%
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).
Reverse bay park - observation2.2%
Common Scenarios:
  • Not completing 360° observations whilst reversing.
  • Staring at mirrors and not periodically observing all around.
  • Being unaware of pedestrians and other car park users.
Why More Common Here:
  • The most frequently used car parks are cramped or have an uneven surface, thus requiring higher concentration for accuracy and risking sloppy observation.
Parallel park - observation2.0%
Common Scenarios:
  • Not completing 360° observations whilst reversing.
  • Staring at mirrors and not periodically observing all around.
  • Being unaware of pedestrians and other road users.
  • Getting too close to parked cars and other obstacles when maneuvring.
Why More Common Here:
  • Test routes where the parallel park is performed on busier roads with more hazards.

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.
Mirrors - signalling0.33
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.
Progress - speed (too slow)0.31
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.
Move off - control0.30
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.
Clearance / obstructions0.29
Common Scenarios:
  • Driving too close to a vehicle when passing, even though the road allows for more space.
  • Driving too close to parked vehicles or other fixed structures.
Why More Common Here:
  • Narrow roads with limited space for cars to give way to each other.
  • Awkwardly placed width restrictors.
  • High levels of traffic and/or bus routes on narrow roads.
Control - steering0.29
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.
Progress - undue hesitation0.28
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.
Junctions - observation0.24
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.
Positioning - normal driving0.24
Common Scenarios:
  • Not driving in the centre of the lane.
  • Driving for too long in the right hand lane of a dual carriageway, for no reason.
  • 'Straight-lining' a roundabout.
  • Not driving in the bus lane when it is allowed at that time.
Why More Common Here:
  • Many timed bus lanes around test centre.
  • Multi-lane roundabouts with worn lane markings.
Position - normal stops0.18
Common Scenarios:
  • Stopping in a location that obstructs a driveway, a junction, or a bus stop.
  • Parking with one or more wheels on the pavement.
  • Parking too far from the kerb.
Why More Common Here:
  • Inner city test areas with limited roadside parking.
  • Areas where residents habitually park on the pavement can trick learners into thinking it is acceptable.

Manoeuvres tested at Workington

Emergency stopTested 30.6% of the time
Pass Rate
57.9%
Fail Rate
0.6%
Reverse rightTested 29.4% of the time
Pass Rate
57.5%
Fail Rate
6.6%
Reverse bay parkTested 25.0% of the time
Pass Rate
53.0%
Fail Rate
13.4%
Forward bay parkTested 23.5% of the time
Pass Rate
61.1%
Fail Rate
4.5%
Parallel parkTested 21.9% of the time
Pass Rate
53.7%
Fail Rate
16.2%

Best times to book at Workington

Saturday
15:00-16:00
Pass Rate
75.0%
~0.1 tests/day
Saturday
11:00-12:00
Pass Rate
68.4%
~0.6 tests/day
Saturday
08:00-09:00
Pass Rate
63.2%
~1.2 tests/day
Saturday
10:00-11:00
Pass Rate
61.1%
~0.6 tests/day
Mon-Fri
14:00-15:00
Pass Rate
59.3%
~1.3 tests/day
Mon-Fri
08:00-09:00
Pass Rate
58.8%
~2.9 tests/day
Mon-Fri
15:00-16:00
Pass Rate
58.5%
~0.3 tests/day
Mon-Fri
13:00-14:00
Pass Rate
57.8%
~0.9 tests/day
Saturday
All times
Pass Rate
56.7%
~4.4 tests/day
Mon-Fri
10:00-11:00
Pass Rate
56.4%
~1.5 tests/day
Mon-Fri
All times
Pass Rate
56.2%
~9.6 tests/day
Saturday
14:00-15:00
Pass Rate
52.9%
~0.6 tests/day
Mon-Fri
11:00-12:00
Pass Rate
52.8%
~1.4 tests/day
Mon-Fri
12:00-13:00
Pass Rate
49.0%
~1.3 tests/day
Saturday
12:00-13:00
Pass Rate
42.1%
~0.6 tests/day
Saturday
13:00-14:00
Pass Rate
42.1%
~0.6 tests/day

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