Perhaps not surprisingly, the rise in failed driving tests coincides with a 24% increase in crashes resulting in a serious injury in the past five years. An examiner with the Department of Vehicle Services administers a road test. The failure rate for those 18 and older is double that of 16-year-olds, and the rate appears to be consistent across all older age groups, Yang said. The rate was slightly lower last year when compared to the six-year failure rate of 46%, but better than the 49% failure rate in 2021, DVS data show. The sharp increase in tests may also be contributing to a higher failure rate, officials surmise.