It’s official:
nerves really do make people fail their driving test.
Those who fail are almost twice as anxious and have
faster heart rates than those who pass.
Researchers from Liverpool John Moores University
found that nerves brought on by a fear of the examiner
and of perceived failure in the eyes of friends or
family can lead to a collapse in performance, a
phenomenon they term “choking”. In one test it was
found that the heart rate of those who passed was
less than 120 beats per minute while those of
failures beat at 140. Some driving schools offer
relaxation techniques to candidates to
help combat anxiety.