Publication of ‘DfI Driver, Vehicle, Operator, and Enforcement Statistics 2022/23 Quarter Four’

The ‘DfI Driver, Vehicle, Operator, and Enforcement Statistics 2022/23 Quarter Four’ report, detailing statistics for January to March 2023, is now available.

The report is produced and published by NISRA Statisticians working within the Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA). It contains summary statistical, performance, and trend information relating to the main business functions of the DVA, and other licensing activity. 

The publication is available on the DfI website at:

• Driver & Vehicle Agency Activity Statistics

KEY POINTS

The key points in the report are:

In 2022/23 DVA delivered over 1.155 million vehicle tests, the highest in our series back to 2008/09.

Full vehicle tests conducted this year at over 992,400 is the highest recorded for a single year back to 2008/09.

Private cars accounted for 82.6% (819,523) of all full vehicle tests delivered in 2022/23, which again is a single year record from when this series started in 2008/09.

Over 50,770 vehicles failed to attend a booked vehicle test in 2022/23, the highest on record for a single year.

Just over 93% of all vehicle tests applications in 2022/23 were made using the DVA internet booking system, compared with 56% in 2015/16. The remaining 7% of vehicle test applications this year were made via the DVA call centre.

DVA delivered 68,540 driving tests in 2022/23, the highest on record in thirteen years.

Almost 82% (56,132) of all driving tests in 2022/23 were private cars, the highest for a single year in twelve years.

Theory tests conducted in 2022/23 at just over 87,230 is the second highest on record for this series back to 2009/10.

Online driver licensing application performance in 2022/23 at 98.6% was above the 95% target level for the year. Performance was over 98% for every quarter in 2022/23 and stood at 98.3% for the last quarter of this financial year.

Paper driver licensing applications performance at 92.6% was above the 90% target level for the year, and significantly better than the 78.3% achieved in 2021/22. Performance was above target for each quarter of 2022/23, ending the year at 90.6% for quarter four of 2022/23.

Ordinary licensing transactions during 2022/23 at 242,642, is slightly above (0.6%) that for 2019/20 (241,315).

At the end of March 2023, there were 1,149,045 full and eligible licence holders with private car/light vans entitlement in Northern Ireland, the highest on record.

DVA were active across the full range of enforcement activities this year having checked 2,894 vehicles, issued 283 fixed penalty notices totalling just over £29,000 in fines, completed 36 joint operations with PSNI and 21 cross border operations with An Garda Síochána, with 52 spot checks on school buses. In addition, DVA completed 146,768 tachograph checks, 43,431 in premises and 103,337 at the roadside.

At the end of March 2023, there were 919 Approved Driving Instructors and 54 Approved Motorcycle Instructors registered with DVA.

Notes to editors: 

1. This is the thirty-fourth edition of the quarterly report ‘DfI Driver, Vehicle, Operator, and Enforcement Statistics’, relating to January to March 2023.
2. The release covers the main DVA business areas: vehicle testing, theory testing, driver testing, driver licensing, road transport and taxi licensing, enforcement and goods operator licensing from within the DfI.Also included in the quarterly report are monitoring results for 2022/23 for two key DVA driver licensing performance targets.
3. Vehicle licensing statistics for quarter two July to September 2022 are included in the report; however, they are no longer a DVA business area: responsibility for vehicle licensing transferred to DVLA in July 2014 and DfT now publish these statistics on a UK-wide basis. Vehicle statistics for October to December will not be published by the Department for Transport until 15th June 2023. Vehicle licensing statistics for this period within our report will be updated at the earliest opportunity after this date. The exact date of publication of our updated quarter four report will be announced on the gov.uk website.
4. We derive the majority of statistics from administrative data sources held within the DVA the DfI’s Transport Regulation Unit, and the Department for Transport.
5. The report is written and issued by NISRA statisticians in the DVA.
6. ‘DfI Driver, Vehicle, Operator and Enforcement Statistics’ is published every quarter at pre-announced release dates, which are available from the GOV.UK website.
7. Electronic copies of the ‘DfI Driver, Vehicle, Operator, and Enforcement Statistics 2022-23 Quarter Four’ can be downloaded from our website at: Driver & Vehicle Agency Activity Statistics
8. A detailed User Guidance document is also available on our website.
9. This is a National Statistics report and therefore follows the Code of Practice for Official Statistics.You can find further information about the Code on the Statistics Authority’s website.
10. For further information, please contact:

• Tel (public enquiries):  02890 547911 (Text relay prefix 18001)
• E-mail: DVA.Statistics@nisra.gov.uk
• Website: Driver and Vehicle Agency Monthly Tests Conducted Statistics

11. The Executive Information Service operates an out of hours service for media enquiries only between 1800hrs and 0800hrs Monday to Friday and at weekends and public holidays. The duty press officer can be contacted on 028 9037 8110.
12. Follow the Department on Twitter @deptinfra on Facebook @DepartmentforInfrastructure and on LinkedIn at DfILinkedIn

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