Many drivers rushed test despite many admitting gaps in learning, shows AA Charitable Trust research
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Research shows many drivers don’t recall covering essential skills while learning
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AA Trust calls for minimum learning period in consultation as well as broader measures to help improve safety for new drivers and their passengers
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AA Driving School launches partnership with The Honest Truth to help educate learners on vital safety messages (13/05/26)
Two-thirds of drivers say it was important to pass their driving test quickly, despite many not recalling learning key safety skills such as handling distractions or fatigue, according to new research from the AA Charitable Trust.
The survey* of more than 12,000 drivers found 67% felt it was important to pass quickly, but while most drivers were taught skills like emergency stops, large gaps remain in education around other road safety risks.
Fewer than one in ten could recall training on issues such as driver distraction or cyclist awareness and just 14% remember learning about fatigue, despite tiredness being a significant factor in serious incidents on UK roads.
Dutch reach
The findings also reflect how driver training has evolved, with younger drivers much more likely to have been taught about modern risks such as mobile phone distraction and newer driving techniques such as the ‘Dutch Reach’ method of opening a car door:
- 56% of drivers aged 18–24 recall being taught about distraction such as mobile phones, compared with just 7% of those aged 65-74 and 6% of those aged over 75.
- 12% of young drivers (18-24) were taught the “Dutch Reach” method for cyclist safety
- Older drivers were far more likely to have learned legacy skills such as hand signals (76% of over-75s vs 30% of 18–24s)
- Education about the Highway Code was more prevalent among older drivers. 89% of 65-74-year-olds said they’d been taught it compared to 76% of 18-24-year-olds.
“Peer age passenger restrictions for new drivers would be an even stronger move towards protecting young, novice drivers when they are at their most vulnerable, just after passing their test.”
The research comes as AA Driving School announces a partnership with road safety programme The Honest Truth, launching on May 13 at the Young Driver Focus conference, aimed at improving attitudes and behaviours among new drivers.
The programme integrates road risk education into driving lessons, focusing on real-world decision-making and issues such as peer pressure and distraction. The syllabus covers ten ‘Truths’ designed to educate new drivers about the riskiest situations they will face once qualified.
Buckle up
The AA Trust will be sponsoring the ‘Seatbelt’ Truth as part of its ongoing Buckle Up campaign.
Edmund King, director of the AA Charitable Trust, said: “Passing your driving test is a huge life milestone so it’s understandable so many drivers say how fast they could pass was really important to them.
“However, the experience you gain as a learner driver is incredibly important – the more situations you experience and the greater depth of your experience really help improve your safety as a new driver. This makes it particularly concerning so many drivers say they do not remember their lessons covering vital topics such as rural roads, vulnerable road users and driver distractions.
“The proposed introduction of a minimum learning period is a positive to addressing this skills gap, but we feel the government has missed the opportunity to introduce measures which would have more impact.
“Peer age passenger restrictions for new drivers would be an even stronger move towards protecting young, novice drivers when they are at their most vulnerable, just after passing their test.
“We know, from other countries who have introduced such measures, that simply delaying the age at which new, young drivers can carry peer age passengers significantly reduces the number of these crashes and the heartbreak that accompanies them.
“The AA Trust is delighted to be sponsoring the Seatbelt Truth in the Honest Truth to help reach more young drivers and passengers with the critical message to buckle up on every journey.”
For more Information about the AA Charitable Trust visit AA Charitable Trust
* Yonder received 12, 182 responses from AA members to its online poll between the 11th to 18th December 2025. Yonder is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules.