Driving Test 80th Anniversary: Ozzy Osbourne And Concealed Cats

One of the most nerve wracking moments of anyone’s life is surely the dreaded driving test, that celebrates its 80th anniversary today.

The start of compulsory tests before being let loose on the road began on June 1, 1935, after a few months of voluntary testing.

With no official testing centres set up, hopeful drivers would have to arrange the 30 minute exam to start at places like town halls or train stations.

Ronald Beere ripped off his L plates after becoming the first person to pass the test, that was introduced after 7,000 people were killed on Britain’s roads in 1934.

That figure was cut to 1,000 after the tests were introduced, with the figure now standing at 1,700.

A mammoth 50 million tests have been taken in the UK since 1935, but it hasn’t been smooth sailing for everyone - a 42-year-old man from Stoke-on-Trent failed the test 36 times before finally succeeding at the 37th go while rocker Ozzy Osbourne had 19 attempts before he passed.

Britain now has an additional theory test to get through, of course - but Mexicans have it a lot easier, only having buy a licence for 626 pesos (£28) instead of actually taking a test.

Happy 80th, driving test! Here’s a few facts about the exam…

• 246,000 candidates put themselves forward for a driving test in 1935, with the pass rate being 63%, compared with 47% today

• The test was suspended for the duration of the Second World War and did not resume until November 1946

• Today, the test centre with the highest pass rate is Gairloch in Scotland. In 2014, 16 people took their test here and just one failed

• Outside Scotland, Whitby in North Yorkshire has a pass rate of 65.4% and Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria boasts 65.5%

• Belvedere in south east London lays claim to the lowest pass rate, with only just over 30% of candidates being successful

• A 26-year-old woman from Southwark in south London failed her theory test for the 90th time in 2010

• In Japan, you can fail your test if you do not bend low enough to check the underside of your car for concealed cats.