Report for DVSA proposes move to lessen ‘potential anxiety’ and bolster pass rates among female candidates
Having a mardy person sitting next to you in the car can be a distraction at the best of times, but it is all the worse when the grump is your driving examiner.
In an effort to avoid additional “potential anxiety” during tests and bolster pass rates among female candidates, a report commissioned by a government agency has suggested asking people taking a test whether they would like their examiner to be “chatty” or “formal”.
The report by the transport research group TRL said men were found to be less affected by their examiner’s demeanour, while women were more likely to notice and interpret it, and that this might prompt self-judgment and worry about how they were doing.
Men are more likely than women to pass a driving test, according to records dating back to 2007, with the annual pass rate for male candidates ranging from 47% to 55%, compared with 41% to 48% for female candidates.
