Driving test cheating soars as candidates turn to Bluetooth headsets and impersonators

According to latest estimates, cheating rates during practical and theory driving tests increased by nearly 50% last year in England, Scotland, and Wales. According to freedom of information obtained by the Driving and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), with more than 1,100 cases involving the use of Bluetooth headsets. Almost 100 offenders were charged with either attempting to trick themselves or impersonating driving test candidates. The rise in the demand for testsand drivers' desperation to come, according to industry officials, while the DVSA blamed a general rise in cheating and improved detection.

In the year to September 2025, a Press Association News Agency freedom information request revealed 2,844 attempts to cheat during driving tests, 45% higher than the previous year. More than a third (1,113) of those involved the use of electronics, from an earpiece connected via Bluetooth to a hidden phone, to try to cheat at a theory test. During the registration process, people tried 1,084 times to perform theory tests while impersonating the registered candidate. People in 647 incidents pretended to be the registered candidate for a practical examination. Dr. Rasha Kassem, the head of Aston University's Fraud Research Group, warned of the risks of people passing tests illegally without knowing how to drive. It means more accidents, injuries, and deaths, she said. She also predicted more accidents,

the car would be affected, earthquake, and injuries, as well as damage to the vehicle, and in some cases, death.

This must be public knowledge, as well as in the eyes of the legislation. It is fraud. "Impacteurs and those who use them face fines ranging from driving bans to prison sentences. They can also be ordered to perform unpaid services or be required to pay court fees. In the 12 months to September last year, ninety-six individuals were charged with trying to cheat on driving tests or impersonate candidates. A number of steps to avoID fraud have been taken, including matching a practical test candIDate's face with their photo ID, as well as asking theory candIDates to roll up their sleeves and reveal that their pockets are empty.

According to the Press Association News Agency, there are 23-year-old Qounain Khan, who was sentenced to eight months in prison in June 2025 after pleaded guilty to impersonating learners at 12 times in the last year. Impersonators could be fined up to £2,000 for administering a questionnaire, according to the court. Sorina-Ana Turcitu, 42, has confessed to attempting to take a practical driving test on behalf of someone else. In September 2025, she was sentenced to 12 weeks' in prison after an 18-month absence. And Ali Rasul, 22, was given a two-year prison term in November 2025 after being found repeatedly attempting to defy the theory test over an eight-month cycle, either by using a disguised earpiece or an impersonator.

The rise in suspected cheating has occurred as learner pilots endure long waits for practical test slots. There were no reports that cheating was related to waiting times, according to the DVSA. However, Carly Brookfield, the Driving Instructors Association's chief executive, told the BBC that she was not surprised that fraud was on the rise in this context.

It's almost inevitable in an age of high demand but very little consistent supply, that you will see people engaging in dangerous habits, such as using a cheat tool to try and pass. People who

do not want to risk going to the tortuous merry-go-round and hoping to get another slothave been denied a second slot, she said. might take the risk, unfortunately, of cheating. "Dr Kassem also believed that long lines to book a slot was likely to be a factor, with some people resorting to fraud for reasons such as the need to obtain a licence quickly for work. The National Audit Office warned in December that the driving test backlog would not be resolved until November 2027. Among the reasons include inadequate recruitment and retention of examiners and third-party websites that book up slots using bots. The Department of Transportation (DfT) had previously announced additional measures to try to eliminate the backlog, including using military driving examiners and only allowing learner drivers to book and administer their practical driving tests from the beginning of the year.

The organization had committed to combating practical and theory test fraud, according to Marian Kitson, the DVSA's director of enforcement services, and had increased detection capabilities.

All drivers must demonstrate that they have the correct skills, knowledge, and attitude to drive safely. All road users were put in jeopardy by attempting to obtain a driving licence fraudulently,

she said. "Our counter-fraud team conducts robust investigations into suspected fraud, working with the police to bring fraudsters to justice and keep Britain's roads safe.

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