Published: 09 May 2008
Driver Testing and Training to be Overhauled
New proposals to reform the way people learn to drive and how they are tested have been announced by Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly.
Road deaths and serious injuries have fallen by 33% since the mid 1990s, but the casualty rate for young drivers has not changed.
One in five people have an accident within six months of passing their test, and another 70% report near- misses in the same period. Alongside this newly-qualified drivers and their passengers account for one in five of all car deaths in Britain.
The aim of the consultation is to create safer drivers for life by strengthening the current learning & testing procedures, and creating a culture of extended and advanced learning. This follows extensive discussions with young people, employers, driving instructors and the insurance industry.
For the first time there will be a syllabus to ensure more effective & comprehensive training is offered to learner drivers. This will set out more clearly the necessary steps to driving safely - beginning with the basics of car control, progressing to skills such as driving in difficult weather or at night and culminating in ensuring driver awareness is enhanced, to help novice drivers predict the intentions of other road users.
This is intended to help more learners to pass first time as safe & responsible drivers. The government claims that it wants to create a culture in which the driving test is a milestone towards lifelong learning.
Employers and insurers should have greater confidence in the driving abilities of those who have undertaken further training, and so we will work with them to develop proposals for post-test courses and qualifications that produce safer drivers, and that they are prepared to reward.
Examples of this could include:
- a new advanced training qualification
- a course in motorway driving or
- vocational qualifications such as for van drivers
Alongside this the driving test will be revised to place less emphasis on mechanical manoeuvres and allow examiners to properly assess the full range of a candidate's abilities. An assessment of their ability to drive independently and test to judge awareness of road safety issues will be introduced.
Speaking to young drivers at the Driving Standards Agency training centre in Cardington, Ruth Kelly said:
"Every year more than 750,000 people pass their driving test. New drivers are keen to gain the freedom driving offers them to access further education, jobs or keep in touch with family and friends.
But too many new drivers are involved in road accidents and are not properly prepared for driving alone.
It is time for a new approach to learning to drive. We must make sure that novice drivers are safe drivers when they have passed their test. We must also create an expectation of lifelong learning, so that people continue advanced learning after their test.
That is why I am publishing proposals which offer new drivers more opportunities to learn both before and after the test, including at school.
Those who undertake extra training will not only be safer drivers, but will have the added incentive that they could see a financial reward in terms of lower insurance premiums."
Other proposals in the consultation (closes on 8 September 2008) include:
- A more focused and thorough learning process before the driving test, which focuses not just on vehicle control but also the wider skills needed to be a safe driver, from driving in difficult conditions (for example at night or in poor weather) to learning to predict and respond to other road users' intentions
- A new training syllabus to ensure learners understand what is required of them to become a responsible driver, enable them to undertake structured and efficient learning and accurately assess when they are ready to pass their driving test
- An improved driving test which requires the driver to demonstrate independent driving skills and clear understanding of different situations on the road, with the option of modular assessment
- A star-rating system for driving instructors so that learners can make an informed choice based on pass rates and the level of training instructors have undergone
- A review of driving instructor training and testing to ensure they provide a quality service and are focussed on those areas of driving performance that are closely linked to safe driving
The Driving Standards Agency is developing a certificate on safe road use for young people from age 14 to 16. A pilot is being worked up with Scottish Qualifications Authority, potentially available from the 2008/09 academic year.
The certificate on safe road use will cover the Highway Code, planning journeys, social attitude, peer pressure, fatigue, being safe on road, eco-driving. The aim is to make it an optional course available from age 14.
The Driving Standards Agency is also developing a non-compulsory Attitude Advisor - a computer-based self-evaluation aid that helps make learners aware of their attitude towards risk and safety.
Learners are asked to respond to questions about their reaction to different situations, allowing the programme to build up a profile of their overall attitude which can be used by the learner and instructor to improve their driving.
Key facts about learning to drive (all for Great Britain)
- 2m people take a car driving test every year
- the pass rate is 44%, so the average learner takes more than two tests before passing
- 750,000 people qualify for a licence every year - three quarters of these are under the age of 25
- Current average cost of a lesson is approximately £21 - up to £28 in London
- The average learner has 52 hours of lessons and spends £1,500 learning to drive
- Current fees for the driving test (for a car) are £30 for the theory test (which includes the hazard perception test); £56.50 for the practical test (£67 if you want an evening or weekend)
- A newly qualified male driver faces an insurance premium from £1,200; and a female driver of same age faces a premium from £800
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