Taking the practical driving test can be an ordeal in Catalonia. There are more than 70,000 students on waiting lists, and these figures are on the rise. Although this number corresponds to students who have passed the theoretical exam and does not mean they are ready to take the practical exam, it is an indicator that the system is unable to absorb the current demand. "More students are entering than those who take and pass the exam," says Raül Viladrich, president of the Federation of Driving Schools of Catalonia (FAC).

A couple of months ago, Núria went to renew her driver's license. She had passed the test ten years ago, and it was due to expire at the beginning of the year. What set her apart from the rest of the users queuing up to pass a reflex test was that she hadn't been able to drive a real car for some time. "I'm embarrassed to admit it, but imagining myself behind the wheel makes me anxious. I don't understand why it's so hard for me. It's something everyone can do!" she confesses.