Don't Cram - Pass Easily       

I’m not sure that this idea has legs - at least I hope it doesn’t!

I’ve read on the BBC that the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety is suggesting that people could face a test of their personality before being given a UK driving licence as part of the driving theory test.

This idea seems to be so wrong in many ways - the first is that when does someone become unsuitable to drive? Where is the line drawn - surely we all have good days and bad days? What happens if someone with a “inappropriate” personality manages to get through the test, then on a “bad day” is in not in a good enough mood to drive?

If the idea was at all practical it would be a good idea - where it seems to be flawed is that there are two options:

1. Implement a cheap and arbitrary system that would not give you proper profiling and that would soon become next to useless as countless websites are created to give you tips to get around the test.
2. Implement an expensive and rigorous test which increases the costs of getting your driving licence - but still have no basis to say that it will make the roads safer.

It also seems that to be at all meaningful you would have to repeat the tests every 5 years and you would also have ot profile the entire existing driving population.

Then you will have to have an appeals process that will allow decisions to be reviewed - what do you do to people who are deemed unfit to drive in the mean time?

I hope this will get no momentum within government and it recognised for the crazy idea that it is, the only parallel I can see here is with doctors saying that a patient cannot drive any longer for example if they are epileptic - the system with the doctor seems to work much better here and doesn’t start from the point of view that every driver is flawed.

The recent paper by the Transport Commitee seems to suggest this ludicrous idea has been ignored.

A committee in the UK Parliment has been looking at ways to reduce the number of severe accidents and deaths on the road and has come up with the idea of increasing the minimun driving age.

The basic idea is that you would still be able to get a provisional licence at 17 but would have to have the provisional licence for 1 year before you could take your driving test. The Provisional licence means you must always be accompanied by someone who has been driving for 3 years. It is not clear if you would be able to take your drivng theory test at the start of the year or also have to wait until the end of the year.

There is mention of the Hazard Perception test which should be extended to schools so that people are aware of driving hazards before starting to take their tests. There is also a paragraph that states shows suprise the DSA has never reviewed the effectiveness of the driving theory test - and suggests this will happen using the results of this years students.

Other restrictions would be placed on new drivers - they would not be allowed to drink alcohol at all for the year after they have passed their driving test. They would not be able to carry passengers in certain situations, and they would not be allowed to drive at night.

This report does not mean that these rules will come into effect but will be used by Government departments when reviewing how the current rules work. It is likely to indicate a change in the rules in the next 3-5 years - but not necessarily the changes that have been outlined.

The “documentary” about Victoria Beckham this week showed a scence where Victoria had to take a driving theory test.

What is interesting to see is that the US driving theory test is paper based and that it takes place in a busy open plan area - no such luxury in the UK!

As the UK moves to a second generation of the test with the new environmentally friendly questions and now 50 questions instead of 35 do we lead the way in these tests now?

I have to say watching this video I doubt if Posh would be able to take the new UK driving theory test!

Here are some sample questions from the new driving theory test that comes into effect from September. This test is available for practising from the 23rd of July 2007.

The new driving theory test contains more questions on the environment - the Driving Standards Agency is clearly trying to get new drivers to keep their emissions down - will it work?

Example Questions from the new driving theory test:

Driving at 70 mph uses more fuel than driving at 50 mph by up to

a. 10%

b. 30%

c. 75%

d. 100%

Your vehicle has a catalytic converter. Its purpose is to reduce

a. Exhaust noise

b. Fuel consumption

c. Exhaust emissions

d. Engine noise

How can you, as a driver, help the environment?

a. By reducing your speed

b. By gentle acceleration

c. By using leaded fuel

d. By driving faster

e. By harsh acceleration

f. By servicing your vehicle properly

To help the environment, you can avoid wasting fuel by

a. Having your vehicle properly serviced

b. Making sure your tyres are correctly inflated

c. Not over-revving in the lower gears

d. Driving at higher speeds where possible

e. Keeping an empty rack properly fitted

f. Servicing your vehicle less regularly

Which THREE of the following are most likely to waste fuel?

a. Reducing your speed

b. Carrying unnecessary weight

c. Using the wrong grade of fuel

d. Under-inflated tyres

e. Using different brands of fuel

f. A fitted, empty roof rack

Answers

1 b,
2 c
3 a, b, f
4 a, b, c
5 b, d, f

These were taken from the telegraph website.

Well just what the world needs another blog! It seems that there are a lot of people that take the driving theory test each year - 1.2 million take it each year for the first time!

So they must want information about the driving theory test and I think we can provide that information.

It might take a while and I hope to get hints and tips from people who want to hear the words - “You have passed” or who have already heard them.

The time seems right now as the new test is about to be released to the public - 50 questions instead of 35 and with a new passmark of 86% or 43 questions.

It is clear that the Driving Standards Agency is serious about putting people though their paces on the driving theory test and making sure that they really know their stuff about the highway code.

I am lucky enough to have seen the questions and can say that there is not a great change in the questions - only the amount that must be taken.

Good news is that the time to take the test is longer than before at 57 minutes instead of 40 - but most people will still be able to do the driving theory test in much less time.

Although people will be able to practise with the new questions from the 23rd July - they will not be able to take the test until September.

Those who are able will try and take the “easier” driving theory test before September.