Former driving examiner debunks common 'Friday test fail myth'

A TikTok insider has opened up to debunk the commonly held belief that examiners are more likely to fail people taking their driving tests on Fridays.

The former driving instructor reassured Brit learners that there is no weekly quota for driving test passes, despite widespread rumours to the contrary. This falsehood could potentially have a negative impact on new drivers, causing unnecessary stress and inaccurately influencing what time and date they book their driving tests.

TikToker @Driving.Miss.Crazy started her informative video by explaining the common misconception — if a learner books a driving test on a Friday, especially during the afternoon, they are "guaranteed to fail".

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Stemming from the familiar fabrication that driving examiners have a fixed number of candidates they can pass each week, logic dictates that by Friday they have already passed the required number of learners, so any additional examinees must inevitably be failed.

The expert warned that many driving instructors incorrectly advise their students to schedule their driving tests earlier in the week to avoid the ostensible disadvantage. But the former driving examiner firmly dismissed this contention as "rumour and misconception".

Driving Miss Crazy explained: "Many candidates are told by whoever is teaching them to drive that they should book a test early in the week. A lot of people believe that Friday is a guaranteed fail, because we aren't allowed to pass too many people."

The driving examiner added that no such quotas exist. Decisions to pass or fail candidates are made solely on their driving performance during the test.

Further dispelling the myth, she added: "Apparently, the worst time to take a driving test is a Friday afternoon because a driving examiner will have passed the amount of people they need that week, so you're guaranteed to fail."

She also highlighted the independence and professionalism examiners maintain during tests, saying: "Nobody in my office, my manager, or head office tells me whether or not I can pass or fail a test. That is done based on the assessment over the last 35 to 40 minutes we're out on the road. Nothing more and nothing less."

She encouraged drivers to focus on their preparation and road skills rather than old wives tales about unfair quotas and time-based bias. The expert makes clear that the outcomes of driving tests depend solely on the candidate's ability to demonstrate that they are safe and competent behind the wheel.

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One commenter wrote under the video: "My instructor told me this. 1. To book it for 9am or 5pm. 2. Be aware if I book it for 5pm, then I could be failed anyway. Due to quota."

Driving Miss Crazy replied: "There is no quota, it's a myth." To which they responded: "Why did my instructor tell me there was one?"

And the expert explained: "Because many genuinely believe this!!!" So learners can feel reassured and safe in the knowledge that booking a test at any time of any day — including Friday afternoon — carries no inherent disadvantage and will not lead to an automatic fail.

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