The RAC has issued contemporary warnings to determined learner drivers making an attempt to beat the backlog by reserving exams via unregulated web sites after it discovered they may very well be paying as much as 4 instances the going price.
The typical ready time for a take a look at throughout England, Scotland and Wales is about 4 and a half months and lots of learners have turned to brokers who ebook out slots and resell the exams for a whole bunch of kilos.
In line with the RAC, some websites are reselling exams for as much as £195. One London-based learner stated she paid slightly below £500 for a take a look at in Might 2023, together with use of an teacher’s automobile, and about £400 for a second take a look at after she failed the primary.
A sensible examination booked via the official Driver and Car Requirements Company (DVSA) web site prices £62 on weekdays, and £75 on evenings, weekends and financial institution holidays.
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Third-party brokers are exploiting the frenzied hunt for exams and “dishonest the system” through the use of automated software program generally known as bots to ebook obtainable slots on the DVSA web site the second they turn into obtainable, quicker than any human might, the RAC head of coverage, Simon Williams, stated.
Greater than 1.7m sensible driving exams are sometimes carried out annually, however a rise in demand, industrial motion and the Covid backlog has meant ready instances have drastically elevated.
An estimated 500,000 learners had their driving programs disrupted or paused their classes throughout the Covid lockdowns, which has had a giant knock-on impact on take a look at ready instances.
The DVSA has been taking steps to clamp down on the “black economic system”, however many slots can nonetheless be purchased via third events on-line. Since January 2023, the DVSA, which is chargeable for the driving take a look at, has issued 283 warnings and 746 suspensions and has closed 689 companies for misuse of its reserving service.
Nevertheless, exams are being bought through encrypted WhatsApp chats and sellers usually use the disappearing message operate so conversations are deleted and never traceable, based on the RAC.
Williams added: “It’s horrible that ‘brokers’ utilizing software program to order exams quicker than a human probably might are making it so onerous for learners to ebook take a look at slots.
“Definitive motion must be taken to stop bots reserving exams after which promoting them on to determined learners for loopy quantities of cash. This results in real slots being wasted and learners, who’re able to take their exams, lacking out and having to attend months for an opportunity to turn into a professional driver. It’s no surprise some learners find yourself reserving take a look at slots earlier than they’re prepared.”
