Programmed

You have been programmed to fail your driving test???
Why is it harder to learn to drive now than ever before?
Answer: It isn't.
You may say there is more traffic, there are more rules, the test is harder. All of these answers would be wrong. Lets break it down.

More traffic
Agreed there is more traffic on our roads than ever before. When you look at the driving test results though you will see that not many people fail their test because of traffic.
Most drivers fail on their own inability to grasp the main principles or concept of what is going on. I can take a student out on the road for a driving lesson. The road is fairly quiet and I could still fail them on their own driving because of their errors not the errors of other drivers.

There are more rules
Yes there are more rules, but you can only apply one at a time and most of any new rules should not affect drivers on their test.
Keep to the left at all times unless turning right or overtaking, or signs indicate otherwise. That rule has been in operation for years.
Stop at a red traffic light - that's never changed
Navigate a roundabout clockwise giving way to traffic on the right. Thats never changed, including the way you indicate. Mini roundabouts are now with us and the Highway Code says treat them as you would a normal roundabout, so that's the same.
Double yellow lines, red lines, box junctions have in their principle always been around i.e. use common sense when parking or not blocking junctions. These lines have only been introduced because people don't think anymore.
Speed limits have always been around. Looking in your mirror, signalling, changing gear correctly, turning the wheel correctly have always been part of the driving test.

The driving test is harder!!
The driving test is no harder now than it ever was. So why do more people fail? Why has the pass rate gone from 52% National down to 31%?
The examiners mark all drivers downwards from the perfect driver. That is you start your driving test with no faults (that is because you are not in the car yet). Then its a downhill slide from there. Every fault is recorded and according to the examining guidelines the examiner will determine whether it is a minor fault or more serious fault.
A build up of minor faults can result in a fail (currently 15 maximum is allowed). No major faults are allowed. Nothing much changed there. If you had 20 minor faults on the old test you would probably have failed anyway since there must have been a major fault somewhere.

You are programmed to fail
That is a very bold statement so lets back it up with some facts. Firstly I am not accusing the examiners of being out to fail you, they are NOT. Examiners are part of the 'system' and as such have quota's to fill like anyone else. With the one exception, their targets are in the negative, that is they only pass people who can drive well (for obvious reasons). Whereas the education system in general helps all students to achieve a good grade. The education system you have just been through if you are between the ages of 17 - 30 years is the root cause of why you may find it difficult to learn to drive.
The Government for the last 15 years or so, has changed the way your education has been conducted. It is now not about making you an intelligent well educated human being, its about schools and universities meeting their targets as set out by the Government. You are no longer taught to think ouside of 'the box'.
Most exams, including your driving theory test are now multiple choice questions. These are designed to help push up certain pass rates and give the educational institutes a higher number of student passes so their targets can be met. Failure to meet these targets results in penalties and maybe even dismissal of the people concerned.
Now we have coming out of the education system many students with qualifications but no education or common sense. I have many students who can pass the driving theory test but have not got a clue who has priority at a roundabout.

What has all of this to do with driving?
Lots. Driving is a hands on, looking and feeling experience as shown in quantum books. Driving instructors are taught by private companies and are mainly exempt from exposure to the 'box system of teaching'and 'targets'. But most instructors do teach techniques to the exclusion of common sense e.g. turn the wheel 2 times to the left and 4 times to the right and you have now parked your car. What happened to all the other things you have to do in parking?
I don't blame instructors 100% for teaching this way, but when you eventually pass your test you are not going to drive that way. Instructors have fallen into the trap created by the novice learner who wants exact guidelines for the reverse manoeuvre. Instructors generally being very helpful guys oblige and start teaching 'in the box'.
If you have such an instructor ask them if they drive that way themselves?

Talking to more and more driving instructors, mainly the over 30's, they are all saying the same things

1. Why do their learners fail on petty situations.
2. Why are students not grasping the subject matter readily.
Answer
1. Because examiners targets need adjusting and their student was just off the mark
2. Because driving is not a learn in the box situation. When you are driving you are in a dynamic situation, forever changing and you have to sometimes think original thoughts. Something learner drivers in general have difficulty grasping.

You can pass your driving test in 20 hours

You can pass your driving test in 20 hours, but you probably will not, because you have been programmed in a negative way. Students I see who say this is going to be hard, this is difficult are right.

You are what you think.
If you think it's hard then you are right.
If you think it's straightforward, you are right also.

Study driving books, including the rules of the road - Highway Code - ride a bicycle, sit at the front seat of a bus, watch the driving of others, good and not so good drivers.
The syllabus for the driving test would only take around 15 - 20 hours to cover, depending where you live. To practice all that you have been taught due to the way you have been programmed could take another 20+ hours.
When you are about to start a reverse manoeuvre exercise you should look where you want your car to go - simple enough - but only a few students seem to grasp this concept straightaway. It can take many hours of practice before a student finally decides to look where they are going. All due to the fact of not being able to think original thought. Ask any person who passed their test over 15 years ago if they had trouble reversing. The answer would probably be no.