The state where more people are learning to drive manual than anywhere else

03/19/2025 11:30 PM

The number of young drivers taking their manual test has declined in recent years, but in one state there is still a healthy appetite for the three-pedal option far more so than anywhere else.

Over the last five years, the number of automatic driving tests has increased in each of the three most populated states in Australia, yet in Queensland the amount of manual tests undertaken is still surprisingly high.

In 2020, the number of automatic tests taken was much lower, sitting at 69,446 versus 111,566 in 2024.

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Meanwhile, the amount of manual tests taken hasn't changed. Five years ago there were 45,081 manual tests and in 2024 there were 45,999.

Essentially, even now, the ratio of automatic to manual is only 2.5 to one – and this is despite recent research showing that some of the areas hardest hit by driver instructor shortages are in Queensland.

Further south, however, the picture is very different. 

In New South Wales, there are far more automatic tests taken, up from 214,298 in 2020 to 289,426 in 2024, versus 33,312 and 28,392 for manual, respectively. 

This puts the current ratio at roughly 10 automatic tests for every one manual.

In Victoria, the difference is even more stark, with 148,300 automatic tests taken in 2020 – shooting up to as high as 189,700 in 2023 before dropping back down to 121,200 last year.

Comparatively, just 16,600 manual tests were undertaken in 2020 versus 7400 in 2024. 

For every manual test taken in Victoria, there are now approximately 16 automatic tests.

And while it's commonly believed that automatic driving tests are easier than their manual counterparts, pass rates are not all that different, ranging from 60 to 70 per cent in Queensland over the last five years.

In New South Wales the outlook is similar, sitting at between 58 per cent and 71 per cent in the same time frame, while in Victoria the pass rate is a lot higher – with a minimum of 70 per cent for automatic and 67 per cent for manual.

Why are there more manual drivers in Queensland?

There doesn't seem to be a definitive reason why more manual tests are taken in Queensland than in the other most populated states.

Even though NSW and VIC have more people – 8.1 million and 6.5 million respectively according to the most recent census data – QLD still outstrips them by a long way in terms of manual interest.

The most likely reason, however, is that it is because QLD has tougher rules when it comes to driving a manual car after obtaining an automatic licence.

"More drivers in Queensland could be choosing to take their practical driving test in a manual car compared to NSW and Victoria because of the difference in licensing systems," the Royal Automobile Club of Queensland's (RACQ) Road Safety and Technical Manager, Joel Tucker, told Drive.

"In Queensland, if you pass your practical driving test in an automatic vehicle, you'll need to re-sit the test in a manual to remove the 'automatic-only' condition. 

"By contrast, New South Wales and Victoria remove the automatic-only restriction on drivers' licences at certain points in their graduated licensing systems, without the need for a separate manual vehicle test.

"In NSW and Victoria drivers may be choosing to wait rather than learning in a manual from the start, whereas in Queensland more learners may choose to take their practical test in a manual car from the outset to avoid the need for a second driving test later on."

NSW allows drivers to switch to a manual car once they upgrade from their P1 to their P2 licence, while in Victoria you can drive a manual car if you took an automatic test once you have obtained a full licence and are off your probationary period – which is four years.

According to driving school EzLicence, higher test rates up north could also be due to the type of vehicle that is popular in regional areas of Queensland.

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"We find that many Queensland learners – particularly in regional areas – learn to drive in utes and older manual vehicles, as opposed to other common vehicles in other states. This cultural factor further contributes to the higher volume of manual driving tests in Queensland compared to other states," said founder and CEO Tobi Pearce.

Additionally, a spokesperson for the state's Department for Transport and Main Roads said changes to the car market can also be a factor.

"The decision to choose between tests can vary widely among applicants. Factors such as changes in the car market and the increasing availability of vehicles with automatic transmissions have likely influenced the shift in licence types."

In 2024, there were 29,929 manual passenger cars sold, in addition to 2713 three-pedal utes nationwide.

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