News / National
Bulawayo drivers hit a speed bump with lowest pass rate
4 hrs ago |
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Bulawayo may proudly call itself the City of Kings, but when it comes to ruling the road, it appears the traffic cones are still in charge. The city recorded the lowest driving test pass rate in Zimbabwe for the second quarter of 2025, with only 35.4 percent of candidates earning their Certificate of Competency.
According to the Zimstat Second Quarter Transport Statistics Report, fewer than four out of every ten learner drivers in Bulawayo passed their tests - well below the national average of 52.9 percent. Out of 4 292 hopefuls who took the test, just 1 521 managed to impress the Traffic Safety Council examiners, while the rest were left nursing disappointment and planning for another attempt.
Across the country, a total of 54 453 people sat for driving tests, producing mixed results. Mashonaland East led the pack with an impressive 67.6 percent pass rate from 5 135 candidates, followed by Harare with 66.3 percent, and Manicaland in third place at 50.1 percent.
Other provinces struggled to keep up. Mashonaland Central recorded 40 percent, Mashonaland West 41.7 percent, Matabeleland North 40.8 percent, Matabeleland South 37.1 percent, Masvingo 45.2 percent, and Midlands rounded off the list with 34.6 percent - only slightly behind Bulawayo.
The figures highlight growing concerns over driver preparedness, training quality, and road safety in the country.
Local driving instructors in Bulawayo said fear and poor preparation are the main reasons many learners fail. "Some learners drive well during practice, but the moment they see an inspector with a clipboard, everything goes out the window - even how to use indicators," one instructor told B-Metro.
Experts have urged authorities to strengthen driving schools and improve learner driver education to reduce failure rates and promote safer roads.
For now, Bulawayo's aspiring motorists may need a few more lessons before they can confidently cruise through their driving exams. The City of Kings, it seems, still has a few bumps to smooth out on its road to driving success.
According to the Zimstat Second Quarter Transport Statistics Report, fewer than four out of every ten learner drivers in Bulawayo passed their tests - well below the national average of 52.9 percent. Out of 4 292 hopefuls who took the test, just 1 521 managed to impress the Traffic Safety Council examiners, while the rest were left nursing disappointment and planning for another attempt.
Across the country, a total of 54 453 people sat for driving tests, producing mixed results. Mashonaland East led the pack with an impressive 67.6 percent pass rate from 5 135 candidates, followed by Harare with 66.3 percent, and Manicaland in third place at 50.1 percent.
Other provinces struggled to keep up. Mashonaland Central recorded 40 percent, Mashonaland West 41.7 percent, Matabeleland North 40.8 percent, Matabeleland South 37.1 percent, Masvingo 45.2 percent, and Midlands rounded off the list with 34.6 percent - only slightly behind Bulawayo.
The figures highlight growing concerns over driver preparedness, training quality, and road safety in the country.
Local driving instructors in Bulawayo said fear and poor preparation are the main reasons many learners fail. "Some learners drive well during practice, but the moment they see an inspector with a clipboard, everything goes out the window - even how to use indicators," one instructor told B-Metro.
Experts have urged authorities to strengthen driving schools and improve learner driver education to reduce failure rates and promote safer roads.
For now, Bulawayo's aspiring motorists may need a few more lessons before they can confidently cruise through their driving exams. The City of Kings, it seems, still has a few bumps to smooth out on its road to driving success.
Source - B-Metro
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