Whoever you are, it's embarrassing to admit that you failed your driving test. But if you're an academic overachiever who's always aced their exams and scored promotions at work, it can leave you even more red-faced. But have no fear, because a new study suggests you probably failed as a result of your brightness. A pretty good excuse to recount to your disappointed parents, non?
The research, carried out on a nationally representative sample of 1,564 people with a full British driving licence, found that clever people are more likely to fail their test the first time around. Those with no GCSEs are more likely to pass after fewer attempts than those with a degree, a postgraduate qualification, and business owners.
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The study, by insurer Privilege DriveXpert, found that 59% of those with no qualifications passed first time, a figure which falls to 51% among those with A-levels. The first-time pass rate is even lower among those with higher-level academic qualifications, with just 47% of those with a postgraduate degree or above and 39% of company owners passing first time.
"Those who don’t have formal qualifications could be in roles that rely more heavily on procedural skills like motor control, hence they may be better suited to activities like passing a driving test," Dr Lee Hadlington, senior lecturer in psychology at De Montfort University, told the Daily Mail.
Creative types who are inclined towards arts and culture, rather than science and maths, are also more likely to pass first time, the study suggested. Possibly because the latter group is prone to overthinking, rather than taking a more practical, intuitive approach.
Academic achievement and prowess obviously aren't the only significant factors that affect learner drivers' success, though. A study last year found that where drivers take the test also has a huge impact on pass rates, with those in east London twice as likely to fail as those in the Cumbrian town of Barrow-in-Furness.