Midland is the toughest place to pass a driving test in WA.

Figures from the Department of Transport show only 44.8 per cent of young drivers at the Midland licensing centre passed their test at their first attempt last year.

That is about 10 percentage points lower than the State average. But the figures also show a huge disparity between the city and the country, with the Wheatbelt scoring a State-high 77.07 per cent success rate.

Regional centres were consistently higher than the metropolitan area.

The highest city success rate was at the Kelmscott centre with 54.18 per cent - significantly lower than most regional centres, including the Gascoyne (62.92), Goldfields (61.75), the Mid West (61.44), the Great Southern (60.45) and the Kimberley (57.36). Mandurah recorded 58.18 per cent and Rockingham 57.29 per cent.

RAC general manager corporate affairs Will Golsby said it was important that test standards were maintained across all centres.

"Last year, 17 to 24-year-olds accounted for 18 per cent of WA road deaths despite only making up 11 per cent of the population," he said.

"Young drivers need to get as much practice as possible behind the wheel, in a variety of conditions, before sitting their test."

Statewide, about 55.3 per cent of candidates passed their test at the first attempt.

Another 17.8 per cent passed at their second try.

Six per cent passed at their third attempt and 2 per cent at their fourth.

The department's general manager driver and vehicle services, Michael D'Souza, said it was important for learner drivers to do as much supervised driving as possible to prepare for their test, including driving time in different road, weather and traffic conditions. Learner drivers should only sit the driving test "once they are ready".

He said a new online system meant candidates could book a test from 48 hours to six months in advance.

There are 1238 licensed driving instructors in WA, 927 of whom operate in the metropolitan area.