New York City’s recent data on driver’s license road test failure rates have been on the rise in recent years, with nearly half of the test takers this year failing to pass the exam. The neighborhood of Queens has the highest failure rate, reaching 57%.
According to Gothamist, citing data from the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) as of 2024, the failure rate for driver’s license road tests in New York City stands at a high 48%, significantly higher than the statewide average of 43%. Since the pandemic in 2021, the road test failure rates in New York City have been consistently increasing, with the rate being 41% that year.
In New York City, Brooklyn and Queens have the highest road test failure rates this year, reaching 56% and 57%, respectively, while the Bronx has a failure rate of 42%. Manhattan does not have a road test examination site. The only area where the failure rate has decreased is Staten Island, with its relatively lower population density considered one of the reasons.
The DMV stated that the standards and procedures for the road test have not changed, with the focus of the test being to ensure drivers’ abilities meet the requirements for road safety. Examiners accumulate points based on the mistakes made by the test-takers, and a total of 30 points or more results in a failing grade. For example, failing to use turn signals deducts 5 points, while errors in parallel parking by the roadside deduct 15 points. Severe mistakes like driving in the wrong direction lead to an immediate failure.
However, some driving schools have questioned the evaluative criteria of the examiners. Johnathan Romano, co-founder of the SoHo Driving School in Manhattan, told Gothamist that one of his students failed the test with a deduction of 65 points due to lack of technical proficiency and “insufficient basic driving skills.” He suspects the DMV examiners in the Bronx are particularly strict due to being overworked.
Test-takers in Queens have had similar experiences. Mr. Wang, with over 10 years of driving experience, shared with the media that he failed his first road test in a fresh meadow location in Queens. He had to spend extra money on additional training before passing on his second attempt, believing his examiner was too harsh. On the other hand, Ms. Wang, a beginner learner, despite diligent training, failed her road test the first three times, only managing to pass on the fourth try.
In response, the DMV believes that driving schools should take more responsibility for inadequate preparation of the test-takers. If students from certain schools consistently fail the tests, they will urge the instructors at these schools to improve their teaching standards.