Half of BC’s new drivers fail their road test, and that's held steady for years | Daily Hive

Taking a road test is a daunting thing, and that anxiousness is clear as a report from ICBC reveals that half of BC’s new drivers fail their first road test.

But that doesn’t have to be a discouraging finding. In fact, it’s been that way for years.

According to ICBC driver licensing office manager Jerry Boal, a 50% pass rate is typical for new drivers.

“It’s been a pretty consistent theme for a long time,” said Boal. “I’ve been with ICBC for over 20 plus years, and in many, many years of doing road testing, I would tell you that’s been the standard.”

The reasons behind this rate? Nerves and lack of preparation.

Boal described the “nerve-wracking” experience of taking a road test and that this can cause people to “put a lot of pressure on themselves.”

Unfortunately, the greater pressure a new driver puts themselves under, the greater the chances are that they won’t be successful.

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The other reason many new drivers fail their first test is because they come in unprepared.

“People are not putting in enough time to prepare for the road test,” said Boal. “I think a lot of them, unfortunately for a lot of people, think it’s ‘practice a couple times, I’m good for the road test,’ and they come in, and unfortunately, there’s a lot more to it.”

Despite the approximate 50% pass rate being consistent for many years, ICBC “would love it to be a higher pass rate on the first time,” and it has a series of tips for new drivers.

The first tip is combatting those pesky nerves.

“You have to make sure you’ve put yourself in the right mindset to be successful,” said Boal. “Confidence is key, for sure.”

For example, Boal described how taking the test immediately after an argument is probably not the best idea.

Putting in the necessary hours is the other step to success.

“The ones that do have much better success, they’re spending more time behind the wheel, getting more experience,” said Boal.

While general practice is good, there are two key themes in what new drivers need to improve on to succeed.

The first is observation.

“Shoulder checking on lane changes, right turns, highway merges. These are things that people need to do more of and do better,” said Boal.

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The second is obeying the speed limits.

“The other tip that we’ve offered to the public is speed and speed maintenance is a huge factor on road-test results.”

With these tips for the road test, Vancouver can hopefully see its pass rate start to climb.

What are the two main takeaways for road success?

“Make sure your confidence is high. Practice those manoeuvres, practice that ability, and you’re going to do fine.”