From Mr Beene to record-low pass rates, here are some fun facts and anecdotes celebrating 70 years of the Great British driving test.
The first UK driving test took place in March 1935. The candidate was one Mr Beene!
The requirements of the original 1935 driving test were:
The fee for the first compulsory driving test was 10 shillings.
Compulsory driving test were originally introduced as car ownership started to become more widespread and soaring accident rates were causing public concern.
The driving test has had a significant impact on road safety. The number of road traffic deaths in the early 1930s was twice what it is today, despite there being 12 times more vehicles on the roads in 2005.
Over 87 million driving tests have been taken in the 70 years since they were introduced.
Pass rates have decreased over time. In the first year of tests, almost two-thirds of the 250,000 candidates were successful. The national pass rate dipped below 50% for the first time in the 1960s. In the 21st century, the number of people passing the test has slumped to an all-time low. 1.3 million took the test in 2004, with just 43% achieving their license.
The theory test was first introduced in 1996, with the hazard perception test making its debut in 2003.
32 million people currently hold a full driving license in the UK.
There are many ways to fail the driving test but some are more common than others. One unusual incident involved the candidate forgetting where he had parked his car and using up all of his scheduled appointment time to locate it. Another humorous test-day disaster saw the driver lock her keys in the vehicle. Equally, it is not unknown for candidates to travel to the test centre by public transport and look aghast when informed that they will need a car in order to take the driving test!