DRIVING can be a useful skill, but it costs a fair bit for lessons and tests.

With the rising cost of living, the pressure to pass a practical driving test has been taken up a notch.

Here we look at how the driving test pass rates between April 2023 and December 2023 compare in three Gwent regions: Newport, Abergavenny and Monmouth.

Newport

There were 4,417 tests conducted in Newport, and 2,080 of these were passed. This is a 47.1 per cent pass rate - the lowest of the Gwent areas, although it also represents the highest number of tests booked out of these regions.

Newport driving test centreNewport driving test centre on Stephenson Street in Lliswerry (Image: Google Maps)

During this time period 2,313 males were tested and 1,086 passed (47.0 per cent) while 2,104 females were tested and 994 passed (47.2 per cent).

Males:

May and November 2023 had the highest number of males passing their test: 158 out of 323 (May) and 157 out of 330 (November).

December 2023 had the highest percentage of male passes with 55.8 (148 out of 265).

Females:

November 2023 had the highest number of females passing their test: 166 out of 320.

However December 2023 had the highest percentage of female pass rates with 52.4 per cent (140 passed out of 267).

The current pass rate according to DrivingTest.co.uk in Newport is 52.3 per cent.

Newport test centre address and pass rateNewport test centre address and pass rate (Image: DrivingTest.co.uk)

Abergavenny

Abergavenny had the highest pass rate in Gwent for this time period. 

Abergavenny driving test centre on Station RoadAbergavenny driving test centre on Station Road (Image: Google Maps)

There were 3,944 tests conducted with 2,383 passed; this is a 60.4 per cent pass rate.

Males:

November 2023 had the highest number of males passing their test: 271 out of 430.

October 2023 had the highest percentage of male passes with 66.5 (214 out of 430).

Females:

November 2023 had the highest number of females passing their test: 193 out of 343.

However October 2023 had the highest percentage of female pass rates with 64.7 per cent (172 passed out of 266).

The current pass rate according to DrivingTest.co.uk in Abergavenny is 60.4 per cent.

Abergavenny test centre address and pass rateAbergavenny test centre address and pass rate (Image: DrivingTest.co.uk)

Monmouth

Monmouth had the lowest number of tests taken across the Gwent region, with just 1,175 tests taken from April 2023 to December 2023.

Monmouth driving test centre on Old Dixton RoadMonmouth driving test centre on Old Dixton Road (Image: Google Maps)

The region had a 48.9 per cent pass rate during this time period - of 1,175 tests conducted, there were 574 passes.

There were 575 males tests conducted with 284 passing (49.4 per cent) while 600 females took the test and 290 passed (48.3 per cent).

Males:

October 2023 has the highest number of male passes with 44 of 85 tests passed. The highest percentage of male passes was in April 2023 with 67.3 per cent (33 out of 49).

Females:

June 2023 had the highest number of female passes with 41 of 65 tests passed. This was also the month, during this time period, with the highest percentage of females passing: 63.1 per cent.

The current pass rate according to DrivingTest.co.uk in Monmouth is 56.4 per cent.

Monmouth test centre address and pass rateMonmouth test centre address and pass rate (Image: DrivingTest.co.uk)

Data was taken from the DVSA Practical Driving Test statistics.

Where did you pass your driving test and how many attempts did it take you? Let us know in the comments.