A perfect storm of staff resignations and a malfunctioning booking system is causing severe gridlock in England's driving test system, creating massive delays for learner drivers.
Staff Exodus Worsens DVSA Backlog
Driving examiners are leaving their roles in significant numbers, throwing the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency's (DVSA) already growing backlog into deeper chaos. Experts point to a combination of a staff exodus and a broken booking system as the core reasons for the jams.
According to a National Audit Office report, there has been a net gain of only 83 more driving test examiners despite the DVSA launching 19 separate recruitment campaigns since 2021. This chronic understaffing has led to the average wait for a practical driving test across Great Britain ballooning to 22 weeks.
Examiners Speak Out on Pressures
Former driving examiner Leon Woodman, who spoke to the Guardian, highlighted the personal and financial pressures behind the staff shortage. He previously worked as a traffic officer for Highways England, dealing with incidents ranging from breakdowns to fatalities.
"I moved on because of the money," Woodman explained. "I was growing a family and I was jealous of a few mates of mine who were hybrid working."
Another instructor expressed his respect for examiners but noted the difficult nature of the role. "When you pass someone, they generally thank the instructor. And if you end up failing someone, examiners end up being blamed for it," he said.
The Human Impact of Test Anxiety
The pressures of the test environment were starkly illustrated by an anecdote shared by Woodman. He described testing a highly anxious learner who was being tailgated by another driver.
"I told the girl: 'Don't look behind you. Just focus ahead, the roundabout's coming up. In a minute you're gonna have to press the brake,'" he recalled.
"The second I said the word 'brake', in the middle of the road at 30 miles an hour, she just full-on emergency stopped and I had enough time to shout 'Noo' before the person behind hit straight into the back of us. That was a very sad day."
Despite the challenges, Woodman noted the rewarding aspect of the job, saying it was "nice to make an impact on people's lives every day" by delivering pass results. However, the current systemic failures are overshadowing these moments, leaving hundreds of thousands of learners in limbo.
