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Feature: Britain's driving test passes milestone, its 80th birthday

Xinhua, June 2, 2015 Adjust font size:

In the past year more than 800,000 learner drivers failed their British driving test. So there will be no surprise if they don't send a birthday card Monday to mark the 80th birthday of the compulsory driving test.

Britain's Department for Transport celebrated the birthday by publishing a limited commemorative edition of the official driving manual, the Highway Code. Throughout the history of the driving test, learner drivers have been using The Highway Code to learn the rules of the road.

The first car and driving licences were introduced in Britain in 1903. But it wasn't until June 1, 1935 that a compulsory driving test was introduced, 36 years after neighboring France introduced its test.

The driving test was introduced by the government in an attempt to reduce the carnage and death caused by road traffic accidents.

In 1934, there were just 1.5 million cars in use on British roads, but more than 7,000 people were killed in accidents.

Within a year of the test being brought in the death rate in road crashes fell to around 1,000.

Now, with tens of millions of vehicles on the roads, around 1,700 people die each year in vehicle accidents.

The Department for Transport welcomed the milestone: "The driving test has helped to save thousands of lives over the last 80 years."

"Learning to drive and taking the test gives drivers the skills they need to drive safely, and contributes to Great Britain's roads being among the safest in the world."

The driving test was initially voluntary to avoid a rush of candidates until June 1 1935 when all learners starting to drive that year needed to have passed the test. As more vehicles have crowded onto the roads, the test has become tougher, with learners now needing to sit a written exam and also undergo an eyesight check.

Latest official figures show only 47 percent of drivers pass at the first attempt at the test.

"Over the years, passing the driving test has opened up opportunities for people, given them a sense of freedom and helped them find work," said the DfT spokesman. Endit