Why do people assume that when they see generally poor driving standards on the road it is down to what they were taught prior to passing their test? Generally from what I've seen it has little to do with what they should know and do. And has far more to do with what rules they think apply to them (or more to the point don't) and their general attitude to other drivers.
No arguments that there should be wider scope in the test, Motorway experience is the glaringly obvious one. But the attitude they have to their own driving and other drivers is for the most part what makes them dangerous to other road users. Skills, techniques and methods can be taught, getting someone to change their attitude over the course of a few hours of instruction is difficult and very often a temporary while being observed. Once out on their own it forgotten or disregarded.
Test pass rates have been falling for nigh on a decade
Total
1,451,315, 949,409 65.4% (2007/8)
1,290,614, 844,022 65.4
1,347,463, 859,802 63.8
1,346,140, 848,992 63.1
1,371,475, 833,916 60.8
1,244,021, 735,356 59.1
1,541,896, 795,245 51.6
1,680,268, 857,189 51.0
463,695, 227,361 49.0 (2015/16)
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