Higher standard of driving to solve road problems?
Discussion
Always bugged me this;
Why isn't the driving test harder? Why not include practical measures like motorway driving, skid control, night driving etc?
This would lower accidents and the number of cars on the roads.
I can't imagine obtaining a pilots license without first doing an engine failure simulation, a couple of landings and taking off in the rain!
Why isn't the driving test harder? Why not include practical measures like motorway driving, skid control, night driving etc?
This would lower accidents and the number of cars on the roads.
I can't imagine obtaining a pilots license without first doing an engine failure simulation, a couple of landings and taking off in the rain!
towman said:I disagree. For example, it costs nowt (to the taxpayer) to include motorway tuition for probationers. A driver’s license could be limited to non-motorway use if they chose to opt out of this extra tuition, in much the same way as the manual/automatic gearbox limitation.
Cost, dear boy, cost.
Is the UK the only country in the EU which bans a learner driver from practising motorway driving even though they would be under the supervision of an instructor?
rayats said:but a great many still get caught up in them through no fault of their own!!!
What is the problem, I thought we had the safest road in Europe. The vast majority of motorists go through life without causing an accident.
10 people die everyday because of poor decisions coming from those behind the wheel. This is a problem for me, mostly because I believe these are preventable.
smeggy said:
Is the UK the only country in the EU which bans a learner driver from practising motorway driving even though they would be under the supervision of an instructor?
In every EU country it is binding to take Motorway driving lesons BEFORE the test!!! stupid short sighted DVLA! (OK a problem for someone in Ross and Cromarty!)
The problem is that despite the driving test being far harder today than it was when I did my test, the majority of people once they get the OK to rip up the L plates do stuff all about anything thereafter.
Less than 1% take ANY form of advanced instruction after their DSA basic test. That includes IAM, RoSPA/RoADA, employer provided training and so on.
That means that 99plus % having learnt to pass a test then learn to drive by experience, otherwise known as trial and error.
Advanced driving needs to have the acrylic cardigan image fixed and then real incentives in place to encourage. More employment for instructors. More tax for Govt. Less expenditure on road delays and reduced collision and injury rate. Win-win methinks.
Less than 1% take ANY form of advanced instruction after their DSA basic test. That includes IAM, RoSPA/RoADA, employer provided training and so on.
That means that 99plus % having learnt to pass a test then learn to drive by experience, otherwise known as trial and error.
Advanced driving needs to have the acrylic cardigan image fixed and then real incentives in place to encourage. More employment for instructors. More tax for Govt. Less expenditure on road delays and reduced collision and injury rate. Win-win methinks.
I agree with FiF - its not the driving test that teaches you to drive - you simply learn to pass the tests they throw at you...
I think every PH'er will admit there real 'learning' began once they had passed their test... it just seems there are those that havent actually learnt anything..
Perhaps making taking an advanced driving course within 5 years of passing your test compuslory, and perhaps saying you cannot have a car over 1.3 until you have done this is the way forward...
I think every PH'er will admit there real 'learning' began once they had passed their test... it just seems there are those that havent actually learnt anything..
Perhaps making taking an advanced driving course within 5 years of passing your test compuslory, and perhaps saying you cannot have a car over 1.3 until you have done this is the way forward...
rayats said:
What is the problem, I thought we had the safest road in Europe. The vast majority of motorists go through life without causing an accident.
They'd be a lot safer & much better to drive if everyone was taught to drive not just pass a test.
1) Imagine motorways without the lemming effect, bunching caused by following too close & not looking ahead. Who is it who zooms into the gaps??? only to hit the brakes again Doh!!
2) Imaginge if every at junction every driver anticpated someone not seeing them. Majority of road deaths occur at T junctions did we all know that?
3) Imagine if in poor visibilty everyone put there headlights on, not just drive around on sidelights or no lights. Test: See how many cars you can see clearly through damp mirrors & windows when it wet...
4) Imagine if people were taught when it was safe to overtake or more importantly not safe. At present 99% poeple only learn via Darwins theories. Frightening really.
5) Imagine if the incompetent & dangerous were weeded out or retrained, if the old were given some lessons or helped to use bus's
6) Imagine if the the young were taught hazard awareness & given some basic skid pan training. At the moment Darwin is the only teacher of the above.
These are simple & effective things to implement, yet we carry on in blind ignorance of things that could make our roads an awful lot safer for everyone.
>> Edited by cptsideways on Friday 8th July 09:47
aceparts_com said:
I can't imagine obtaining a pilots license without first doing an engine failure simulation, a couple of landings and taking off in the rain!
but there are numpties everywhere even in the air - and like driving the actual flying isnt that difficult, its following the right procedure and using the brain is where the problems occurs. Taking shortcuts and bending the rules (not necessary talking about speeding)
Familiarity breads contempt in everything. Human nature.
Retest every 5 years for drivers would help.
I agree the test should be tougher. Made to include a night drive and motorway tuition. However, I think there are other ways of improving road safety. An eyesight test at age 50, and at 5 year intervals thereafter, would go a long way, and a compulsory re-test at 70. Not the full test, just an assessment of ability to rid the roads of lethal coffin dodgers who can't see, hear or assess what is going on around them.
Also, I liked the idea which was mentioned on a recent thread of changing the points system, whereby drivers are rewarded for completion of additional tuition.
Also, I liked the idea which was mentioned on a recent thread of changing the points system, whereby drivers are rewarded for completion of additional tuition.
xxplod said:The ABD are supporting a positive points scheme like this, including advanced training but also rewarding (say) 5 year chunks of accident and crime free motoring. Good idea, hope it happens and is retrospective
Also, I liked the idea which was mentioned on a recent thread of changing the points system, whereby drivers are rewarded for completion of additional tuition.
smeggy said:
What is the problem, I thought we had the safest road in Europe. The vast majority of motorists go through life without causing an accident.
but a great many still get caught up in them through no fault of their own!!!
10 people die everyday because of poor decisions coming from those behind the wheel. This is a problem for me, mostly because I believe these are preventable.
Not true, 5 people a day die by flinging themselves in front of vehicles without warning. Soem of these are drunk adults and some are children who are unsupervised. Other contributory factors are poor road maintenance which is the deliberae policy of anti car councils, mechanical catastrophic failure and poor maintenance / erronious maintenance of vehicles, poor road design, freak weather, diesel spillage, hazard creation by vandals / councils, suicide, police persuit and finally driver error. I would not mind betting that we actually kill about 20 people a year by making mistakes. Mad Ken alone manages 900 with his silly bumps. Now there is a problem that we need to address.
xxplod said:
Also, I liked the idea which was mentioned on a recent thread of changing the points system, whereby drivers are rewarded for completion of additional tuition.
How does that work if you don't have any points to begin with?
Or was it a proposal of you get so many points to start with and these are taken away with transgressions, added with training? I can see that having some merit.
A real financial incentive would be worthwhile.
Also regular re-testing. I know the driver tuition professionals are against this but please bear with me.
Increase driver tuition industry, consequent benefits employment, tax etc as outlined somewhere earlier in thread.
Take and pass advanced test, pref one with regular assessment needed to keep current e.g. RoADA then no need to take DSA retest. Thus saving of retest fees, test done at own convenience and timing. Without the pressure of the DSA retest in that fail could mean loss of licence, job, home, marriage, family, even dare I say loved ones.
aceparts_com said:
Why isn't the driving test harder?
UK Gov has a vested interest in getting as many people out there motoring as possible. Just think of the taxes on cars, fuel and servicing.
aceparts_com said:
Why not include practical measures like motorway driving,
Sad but true: not enough places in UK have access to motorway.
aceparts_com said:
skid control, night driving etc?
See point 1 above. Even my driving instructor told me that I wouldn't learn to drive until I'd had my test, passed it, and spent about six months driving.
The driving test was just enough to keep me out of trouble. His words.
aceparts_com said:
This would lower accidents and the number of cars on the roads.
In reality, UK has one of the best road safety records in Europe.
It's not all that cost effective to reduce accidents further.
I can't imagine obtaining a pilots license without first doing an engine failure simulation, a couple of landings and taking off in the rain![/quote]
nonegreen said:Whoopsie, you are entirely right.
rayats said:
What is the problem, I thought we had the safest road in Europe. The vast majority of motorists go through life without causing an accident.
but a great many still get caught up in them through no fault of their own!!!
10 people die everyday because of poor decisions coming from those behind the wheel. This is a problem for me, mostly because I believe these are preventable.
Not true, 5 people a day die by flinging themselves in front of vehicles without warning. Soem of these are drunk adults and some are children who are unsupervised. Other contributory factors are poor road maintenance which is the deliberae policy of anti car councils, mechanical catastrophic failure and poor maintenance / erronious maintenance of vehicles, poor road design, freak weather, diesel spillage, hazard creation by vandals / councils, suicide, police persuit and finally driver error. I would not mind betting that we actually kill about 20 people a year by making mistakes. Mad Ken alone manages 900 with his silly bumps. Now there is a problem that we need to address.
My point is still valid though.
JMGS4 said:
smeggy said:
Is the UK the only country in the EU which bans a learner driver from practising motorway driving even though they would be under the supervision of an instructor?
In every EU country it is binding to take Motorway driving lesons BEFORE the test!!! stupid short sighted DVLA! (OK a problem for someone in Ross and Cromarty!)
Really? I know Germany has mandatory mway lessons, but I wasn't sure about the other countries. Where can I proof of this to use as ammo against the scamera brigade?
>> Edited by smeggy on Friday 8th July 17:11
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