Nearly two-thirds of London drivers would fail their theory test if they retook it now - with Londoners having the worst driving know-how in the country.

According to a recent survey by Independent Advisor Car Insurance, drivers in London managed only two correct answers, on average, out of five common driving theory questions.

Based on these five questions, the research found that 64 per cent of London drivers would fail their theory test if they had to retake it today.

The survey revealed that almost three in ten of London drivers failed to correctly identify triangular road signs as warnings.

Also, more than a quarter of drivers in the capital (29 per cent) believe they should turn on full beam headlights when driving on the motorway at night, while another 10 per cent opt for front fog lights, both actions that could potentially blind other drivers.

READ MORE: Motorway driving should be 'mandatory' in driving lessons

With the theory test pass mark considered to be 86 per cent, roughly equivalent to answering four out of five questions correctly, the majority of London's sampled drivers would not pass their theory test.

This makes London the region with the least knowledge about the road in the survey.

Expert at Independent Advisor Car Insurance, Connor Campbell, said: "It’s shocking how many motorists don’t know the rules when it comes to the basics of safe driving practices.

"Being behind the wheel entails significant responsibility, and risking the lives of other road users due to negligence is simply unacceptable."

Across the nation, one in five drivers could not identify that triangular road signs indicate warnings.

As for the young drivers, only 32 per cent of 17 to 24-year-olds could answer four or more questions correctly, and one in ten got none right.

Mr Campbell said: "You should adopt a defensive driving approach to minimise collision risks by focusing not only on your actions, but also your surroundings.

"With fixed penalty notices witnessing a sharp rise since the code change in 2022, it’s also crucial to regularly revisit the Highway Code to ensure you are up-to-date with the latest road laws.

"This is vital for refreshing your knowledge and will help you avoid hefty fines and costly penalty points."

The five common driving theory test questions London drivers struggled with in the survey:

  1. What, if anything, do you think triangular road signs indicate?
  2. What lights, if any, do you think are appropriate to turn on when driving on the motorway at night, when there are cars ahead of you? 
  3. What, if anything, do you think the legal speed limit on a motorway is, if no signs indicate otherwise?
  4. When driving on a wet road, what time gap, if any, do you think you need to leave between your car and the car in front of you? 
  5. What, if anything, do you think you should do if you have to quickly slow down when driving on the motorway?