50% of drivers in Milton Keynes would fail theory test if they retook it now, figures reveal

Half of the people who are driving about Milton Keynes would fail their theory test if they had to retake it, a survey has revealed.

And 88% of drivers failed to answer five basic questions concerning topics including legal speed limits and the ideal distance gaps from other cars.

Some 50% of people said they had not read the Highway Code since they passed their driving test – despite 24 updates to it since 2015.

The survey was carried out by Independent Advisor Car Insurance, who asked motorists five basic questions. These were:

1. What, if anything, do you think triangular road signs indicate?
2. What lights, if any, do you think are appropriate to turn on when driving on the motorway at night, when there are cars ahead of you?
3. What, if anything, do you think the legal speed limit on a motorway is, if no signs indicate otherwise?
4. When driving on a wet road, what time gap, if any, do you think you need to leave between your car and the car in front of you?
5. What, if anything, do you think you should do if you have to quickly slow down when driving on the motorway?

They found 50% of people answered wrongly and would fail their theory test as a result.

Nearly three-quarters of 17 to 24-year-olds struggle to answer at least four correctly, with one in ten getting none correct

Connor Campbell from Independent Advisor Car Insurance said: ““It’s shocking how many motorists don’t know the rules when it comes to the basics of safe driving practices.

"Being behind the wheel entails significant responsibility, and risking the lives of other road users due to negligence is simply unacceptable. You should adopt a defensive driving approach to minimise collision risks by focusing not only on your actions, but also your surroundings. That includes the behaviour of other drivers, pedestrians, and any obstacles on the road, not to mention adjusting your driving based on weather and road conditions.

"It’s crucial to regularly revisit the Highway Code to ensure you are up-to-date with the latest road laws.”