A new survey has found that 88% of UK drivers failed to answer five basic theory questions.

Knowing the Highway Code is a key part of driving responsibilities and road safety, so the results raise real concerns.

Once the Theory Test and Practical Test have been passed, most drivers fail to look at the Highway Code again, despite frequent updates.

Codified

Independent Advisor Car Insurance asked the nation five common driving theory questions in the survey.

These were sourced from Theory Test and represent essential road safety knowledge.

Q1. What, if anything, do you think triangular road signs indicate?

Q2. What lights, if any, do you think are appropriate to turn on when driving on the motorway at night, when there are cars ahead of you?

Q3. What, if anything, do you think the legal speed limit on a motorway is, if no signs indicate otherwise?

Q4. When driving on a wet road, what time gap, if any, do you think you need to leave between your car and the car in front of you?

Q5. What, if anything, do you think you should do if you have to quickly slow down when driving on the motorway?

Worrying answers

The real theory test pass mark is 86%, in this case, we consider the pass mark to be 80%.

This equates to 4 out of 5 questions answered correctly. For the full survey results, please click here.

They reveal that of all 2,010 drivers surveyed, only one in ten (11%) could answer all five common driving theory questions correctly.

With the passing threshold set at four out of five questions, an alarming 51% would have failed the driving test if retaken.

Time defying

The weakest age group was 17 to 24-year-olds.

Less than one in three  (32%) provided four or more correct answers, with one in ten failing to get any correct.

The poor driving knowledge among novice drivers signals a troubling trend, especially given that drivers aged 17 to 24 were four times more likely to be in serious accidents than those over 25, according to latest government reports.

One in five Brits don’t know triangular signs indicate warning signs

While 79% of British drivers correctly identified triangular road signs as warning signs, an alarming 21% failed to decipher the basic road sign.

Notably, one in five (20.75%) believe they should turn on main beam headlights when driving on the motorway at night, which can accidentally blind drivers ahead of them and pose a hazard for other road users.

Regional revelations

The UK regions with the worst driving know-how

Rank

Region

Average number of Qs correct

Number of people who got <4 Qs correct

% of people who got <4 Qs correct

1

Greater London

2.85

159

64.1%

2

Northern Ireland

3.24

32

58.2%

3

North East

3.16

41

56.2%

4

North West

3.18

123

55.4%

5

Wales

3.16

61

55.0%

6

Yorkshire and the Humber

3.20

85

51.8%

7

East Midlands

3.31

73

50.3%

8

South East

3.39

146

50.0%

9

South West

3.39

89

48.6%

10

East of England

3.37

84

47.5%

11

West Midlands

3.33

83

44.1%

12

Scotland

3.45

66

43.4%

Capital failure

According to the survey, drivers in Greater London are the most in need of a refresher course, with 64% predicted to fail their driving test if retaken, averaging only two correct answers out of five.

Following closely is Northern Ireland which hosts the second most concerning drivers on the road as 58% struggled to answer at least four driving theory questions correctly.

The North East is the third most concerning place, with 56% of drivers lacking basic driving knowledge.

Scotland, on the other hand, boasts drivers with the highest road safety awareness among all regions with over 56% answering at least four questions correctly in the survey.

Road responsibility

Connor Campbell, expert at Independent Advisor Car Insurance, was surprised by the results and offered some advice.

“It’s shocking how many motorists don’t know the rules  when it comes to the basics of safe driving practices. Being behind the wheel entails significant responsibility, and risking the lives of other road users due to negligence is simply unacceptable. You should adopt a defensive driving approach to minimise collision risks by focusing not only on your actions, but also your surroundings. That includes the behaviour of other drivers, pedestrians, and any obstacles on the road, not to mention adjusting your driving based on weather and road conditions.”

“Look 15 seconds ahead and communicate your intentions clearly while driving – remember to signal when changing lanes even if you don’t see other cars nearby,” continues Campbell. “Additionally, don’t rush, and maintain a safe following distance to allow for sudden stops or unforeseen manoeuvres.”

Campbell also warned that “with fixed penalty notices witnessing a sharp rise since the code change in 2022, it’s also crucial to regularly revisit the Highway Code to ensure you are up-to-date,”.

“This is vital for refreshing your knowledge and will help you avoid hefty fines and costly penalty points.”