in 2023 in Puglia almost four out of ten Apulian candidates failed the theory

In 2023, according to data from the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, 37.5% of Apulian people who took the theory exam to obtain the B driving license did not pass the test, a figure which is still lower than the national average ( 39.9%).

Among the provinces, the highest percentage of theory failures is recorded in Foggia (39.9%); followed by Bari (39%), Lecce (37.2%), Brindisi (34.9%) and Taranto (31.2%)

But what would happen if Apulian motorists who have obtained their B license for over 5 years repeated the theory exam today? According to the simulation conducted by AutoScout24 and Egaf edizioni, together with the major Italian driving school associations Confarca and Unasca, only 19.8% of Apulians today would pass the exam fully (the national average is 22.3%), a given that it highlights the importance of carrying out constant updates even after obtaining the driving licence, given the continuous changes to the highway code that have occurred in recent years.

But this is not a complete failure, given that the sample of Apulian citizens answered correctly on average 15 questions out of 20. Among the most common errors are the quizzes on signs, warning lights and speeding.

For the simulation of the theory exam, over 2,700 motorists from the AutoScout24 community who have obtained their B license for over 5 years were involved, administering a test of 20 quiz questions selected from those validated by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport and used during the exam (the current official test has 30 questions). To pass the simulation, users must not have made more than 2 errors out of 20 questions (10%), considering the same ratio as the official exam which currently includes a maximum of 3 errors for a 30 question quiz.

What are the obstacles most encountered during driving tests? Let’s start from the data of those who pass: in 2023, as many as 95.2% of Apulians who took the driving test passed it.

As regards obstacles, at a national level the members of the major driving school associations in Italy, Confarca and Unasca, were asked what the major critical issues were for candidates during the road driving tests that led to their failure. Among the most common driving errors, in absolute first place are intersections (52% of members), followed by public transport stops and roundabouts which divert traffic from the main lane (49%), and parking lots, in entry and exit (33%). But there are also other factors that have an impact on the final outcome, such as the size of the city and the difficulty of the roads, also considering traffic (for 76% of driving schools), but above all the candidate’s anxiety (94%) and examiner attitudes about stress (89%).

For more information or to get involved by simulating the test for the B driving license theory exam, just go to This Page on the AutoScout24 website. It will be possible to click on the link inside to simulate a real exam card for the B driving license or to download the Egaf editions apps. It only takes a few minutes and the questionnaire is absolutely free and anonymous.