Key voices stress safety implications: DVSA’s Marian Kitson on fraud detection and skill verification; RAC Foundation’s Steve Gooding on deterrence through severe penalties; AA Driving School’s Emma Bush calling the rise staggering and worrying for road safety.

There is a substantial backlog for practical driving tests, with average wait times around 22 weeks in September 2025, versus about five weeks in February 2020, though the DVSA maintains there is no evidence linking waiting times to cheating.

Impersonation of registered candidates was recorded in 1,084 theory or 647 practical test cases, highlighting a common cheating method across both theory and practical exams.

Industry voices urge stringent penalties and vigilance to protect road safety, calling on the DVSA to maintain robust deterrents and detection.

The broader tension is highlighted between the pressure to clear a backlog and the obligation to uphold road safety through robust fraud prevention and enforcement.

Legal consequences cover impersonation and cheating, including driving bans and prison sentences, as seen in recent prosecutions.

The DVSA attributes the rise in cheating to both more cheating and improved detection, including technology-assisted theory test cheating such as Bluetooth-connected earpieces, which accounted for 1,113 of the 2024/25 incidents.

Experts consistently emphasize the safety risk to other road users and urge strong penalties to deter fraud and protect road safety.

Ninety-six people were prosecuted for attempting to cheat or impersonate candidates in 2024/25, with sentences ranging from prison terms to suspensions and fines.

Notable prosecutions include Qounain Khan (eight-month prison term for impersonating theory test candidates in 2025), Sorina-Ana Turcitu (12 weeks’ imprisonment suspended for 18 months in 2025), and Ali Rasul (two-year prison term in 2025 for repeated theory test cheating).

Context includes a significant backlog in test slots, with the National Audit Office warning it may not clear until late 2027, and government actions such as recruiting more examiners and tightening practical test bookings.

RAC Foundation and AA Driving School officials warn that cheating endangers other road users and advocate vigilant detection and stricter penalties.