Britain's Most Hapless Driver Forked Out £3,600 After Failing Theory Test 157 Times
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Britain's unluckiest driver had to fork out £3,600 after failing their theory test a whopping 157 times.
The unnamed man, based in England, didn't give up, though, and eventually managed to pass on his 158th attempt, which is good for the 42-year-old's bank balance.
To give you some perspective on just how bad he was, second on the list of unlucky motorists is a woman in her thirties who managed to pass her theory after 117 attempts.
And with driving theory exams costing £23 a pop to book through the government website, this set her back around £2,700 - and then she still had to go on and pass her practical.
The third worst driver in the country was a 48-year-old woman who finally passed on attempt number 94.
These fairly depressing stats were obtained from a Freedom of Information request by car leasing firm Select Car Leasing, and make you wonder whether any of them should ever be allowed a licence.
According to the figures released, Britain's most ill-fated practical exam taker was a 72-year-old man who needed an incredible 43 attempts to finally make the grade.
And with a behind-the-wheel tests costing £62 on weekdays and £75 on weekends, he was forced to cough up around £3,225 to get out on the road by himself.
Just behind him was a 47-year-old woman, also from England, who still hasn't passed after 41 tries - racking up a bill of £3,075 so far. Ouch.
England boasts the worst record for repeat practical test failures, with the country's 20 worst drivers over the past decade racking up 679 between them.
Director of Select Car Leasing Mark Tongue said: "It's true what they say, if at first you don't succeed try, try and try again.
"Passing your driving test can be one of life's trickiest challenges and it can take some many more attempts than others.
"A three-point turn might be your downfall or perhaps you forget to check your mirrors before making a move. "It could be that you haven't remembered the correct stopping distances or even what basic roads signs mean.
"But whether you fail your test once or 157 times, there's no shame in picking yourself up and having another go - and anyone who can do that deserves great credit.
"The key is to stay calm on the day and give yourself the best chance of nailing every signal and manoeuvre, and piece of theory, so you can drive off safely with a satisfying pass certificate."
According to separate data from the DVSA, the most common reason for someone failing a practical driving test last year was a lack of correct observation at junctions.
Failing to check mirrors before attempting to change direction was second, while improper control of the steering wheel was third.
Incredibly, these have been the top mistakes for the past seven years.
Featured Image Credit: PA
Topics: Driving, Car, Driving test
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