February is the best month to pass your driving test, according to a new study

If you’re looking to pass your driving test to legally be allowed to cruise around in your very first car, it appears February is the most likely month to get it done. The data bods at CompareTheMarket have been crunching some numbers and have discovered that those learners taking their driving test in February have the highest success rate.

Analysis of data from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) confirms a 51.4 per cent pass rate for the month of February and contrasts with the months of November and December when pass rates are only 46.4 per cent. 

Passing your driving test is a rite of passage bringing much-extolled independence, especially for those living in less urban areas without access to reliable and frequent public transport. Autumn and winter, with their shorter days and inclement weather conditions, are notoriously harder to learn to drive in and even tougher to get a pass. 

If you’re a Libran, Scorpion or Sagittarius, lucky enough to be turning 17 in the dark depths of winter, you’ve got to work harder but arguably, it gives the best of us a second stab at the test in the summer and it almost definitely makes you a better driver.

Gary Warrington, a Grade A driving instructor, advises learners to practise when the weather conditions aren’t perfect, allow plenty of space for vehicles in front and ensure you have full visibility before you set off, to get great marks in your driving test.  

With poor observation at junctions, incorrect use of mirrors when changing direction and not having proper control of steering being the top reasons for failing, it’s also worth nailing these skills before sitting your test. Especially if you’re one of the many learners who have had your test booked in for months - with wait times as long as six months now, learner drivers are unsurprisingly desperate to pass first time to avoid the impatience in waiting to retake the test.