Polish Man Finally Passes Driving Theory Test After 139 Attempts Over Seven Years

A man in Poland has gained worldwide attention for his patience and persistence. The individual from the city of Tarnow took nearly seven years and 139 attempts to pass the written portion of his driving license examination.

Having continuously taken the exam since 2017, he has spent approximately 1,800 Euros on examination fees alone during this period. In Poland, it is mandatory to pass the computer-based theoretical test before being allowed to take the practical (trial) test. While most people pass this exam in 1 to 3 attempts, it proved to be an extremely difficult challenge for this man.

According to Pawel Gurgul, director of the Tarnow testing center, an unusual fact emerged after speaking with the young man following dozens of failures. He discovered that the man was using a demo version of a software for his exam preparation that did not contain all the possible questions. Once he started studying with the full version of the software, his scores gradually improved, and he finally succeeded on his 139th attempt.

Even after passing the written test, he has not yet obtained his license. He now has to pass the practical test. The rule states that if he fails the practical test, he must retake the written exam from the beginning.

Interestingly, this attempt of 139 times is not the national record in Poland. Another individual in the country holds the record for passing the written examination only after 163 attempts spanning 17 years.