A crash in the midst of your driving test is not a good start to your life on the road, but this year it's being predicted that these calamities will take a huge dive.

Research from IntelligentCarLeasing.com reveals a downward trend in mid-test collisions. Last year there were 22% fewer than in 2009.

The most interesting finding from the data is that the number of collisions reported for the first quarter of 2014 predicts a massive fall in driving test crashes this year.

At present there have only been 20 crashes during driving tests so far this year. If that frequency continues, there will have been just 80 collisions by the end of 2014. That would equate to a remarkable 87% fall against the 2009 figure.

According to the leasing firm, experts within the driving instruction industry have two theories regarding the cause of the fall in accidents. The first is that the worst drivers have raised their basic standard, which would explain why the overall pass rate has remained steady.

The second theory is that driving instructors have become more proactive and quicker to take the controls in a dangerous situation.

Pete McAllister, of IntelligentCarLeasing.com, said: “It’s hugely positive to see such a trend emerging in the UK’s learner driver industry. The fall that we’ve found in collisions during tests reflects well on UK road safety and paints a positive picture for the future of motoring.”