[While this story is about the UK, I wonder if it accounts for persons in
the US who have accidents and it is found they cannot read streat signs or understand traffic signals. I suspect this has more to do with the UK's cheating than "long waits" -- the impersonator has to wait just as long, no?]

Driving theory test cheats are using Bluetooth earpieces and hidden phones to pass and after my recent nightmare, Im not surprised

Date:
Wed, 21 Jan 2026 17:43:47 +0000

Description:
The number of learner drivers caught cheating in their driving tests has skyrocketed in the UK as candidates face long waiting times.

FULL STORY

The number of learner drivers caught cheating in their driving tests has skyrocketed in the UK, rising by almost 50% last year with many relying on
the use of hidden phones and Bluetooth headsets .

The data comes from a freedom of information request by PA Media (via the BBC) and reveals that 2,844 attempts to cheat were discovered during driving
tests in the year to September 2025. This is a substantial 47% increase compared to the previous twelves months, with over a third of cases using
some form of technology.

This included candidates that were busted with a Bluetooth earpiece connected to hidden phones during the multiple-choice theory test, while there were
also more than 1,000 attempts of impersonators trying to sit the theory test
in someone's place.

Thankfully cheating in the practical test (which actually has you behind the wheel rather than sitting at a computer screen) seems less common, though
there were still more than 640 instances where impersonators were caught
trying to take a test on a candidate's behalf.

Desperate times

The government warns that it is illegal to cheat at either a theory or practical driving test by using an impersonator or impersonating a candidate yourself. Those caught risk being sent to prison, banned from driving,
ordered to carry out unpaid work, or made to pay court costs.

Those who suspect that someone has used an impersonator can file a report via the gov.uk website .

Why are candidates turning to underhanded criminal methods given the
potential consequences are so severe? Experts blame the ongoing driving test backlog, with the government itself estimating that candidates have to wait nearly 21 weeks to secure a test in England compared to 15 weeks in Scotland and 13 weeks in Wales.

"It almost seems inevitable in an era of lots of demand, but very little consistent supply, that you are going to get people engaging in risky behaviours, like using a cheat service to try and pass," Driving Instructors Association chief Carly Brookfield told the BBC .

My personal experience

Although I would of course never resort to crime, I do understand the frustration learner drivers face as someone who only passed a few months ago myself. Those backlog estimates seem quite low compared to my experience in a busy area of London, where it took almost half a year of waiting (with thousands of pounds spent on refresher lessons) to secure a test slot.

The rise of automated bots snapping up places and issues with the government driving test booking website make it an incredibly frustrating experience
that forces you to race against hundreds of other learners to secure a small handful of slots as they release on a weekly basis.

I purchased a third-party booking app out of sheer desperation, which alerted me to short-notice test slots freed up by cancellations and finally managed
to get a test booked in.

The UK government has set out measures aimed at tackling the shortage, including drafting in military driving examiners to conduct tests and preventing learners from snapping up empty slots in far away test centres,
but the National Audit Office suggests that things are unlikely to be
resolved before November 2027.

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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/vehicle-tech/driving-theory-test-cheats-are-using-bl uetooth-earpieces-and-hidden-phones-to-pass-and-after-my-recent-nightmare-im-n ot-surprised

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