FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17, 1975
ENROLMENT BEGINS FOR NEW INDOOR DRIVING COURSES
*****
THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT IS NOW ENROLLING CANDIDATES FOR THE NEXT TWO SERIES OF DRIVING COURSES DUE TO START IN THE NEXT TWO MONTHS AT ITS INDOOR DRIVING INSTRUCTION CENTRE IN KOWLOON.
SO FAR, NEARLY 4,900 PEOPLE HAVE ATTENDED COURSES AT THE CENTRE WHERE THEY LEARN FUNDAMENTAL DRIVING TECHNIQUES BEFORE TAKING PRIVATE DRIVING LESSONS ON THE ROAT.
A TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY RECORDS INDICATE THAT THE INDOOR TRAINING COURSE HAD ACHIEVED ITS MAIN OBJECTIVES, ONE OF WHICH IS TO HELP RAISE THE STANDARD OF DRIVING SKILL AND DISCIPLINE OF CANDIDATES PRESENTING THEMSELVES FOR THE ON-ROAD DRIVING TEST.
AN EARLIER SURVEY, HE SAID, SHOWED THAT 33.5 PER CENT OF CANDIDATES WHO HAD PASSED THE INDOOR INSTRUCTION COURSE PASSED THE ON-ROAD DRIVING TEST - 6.4 PER CENT MORE THAN THOSE WHO HAD RELIED SOLELY ON THEIR PRIVATE ON-ROAD DRIVING LESSONS.
THE INDOOR COURSE ALSO REDUCES THE AMOUNT OF ON-ROAD PRIVATE INSTRUCTION NEEDED BY LEARNERS, THUS ABATING TRAFFIC CONGESTION AND ANNOYANCE TO LOCAL RESIDENTS, HE SAID. MORE THAN 60 PER CENT OF THE CANDIDATES PASSING THE INDOOR COURSE HAD TAKEN LESS THAN THE AVERAGE OF 70-80 HOURS OF ON-ROAD PRIVATE INSTRUCTION.
THE NEXT TWO SERIES OF INDOOR DRIVING COURSES WILL BEGIN ON NOVEMBER 23 AND DECEMBER 11, RESPECTIVELY. CLASSES, EACH COMPRISING 15 ONE-HOUR LESSONS, ARE HELD BETWEEN 7.30 A.M. AND 10.30 P.M. EACH DAY. THE FEE is $200.
J
LEARNER DRIVERS WISHING TO APPLY MUST ALREADY HAVE PASSED THE PART A WRITTEN TEST FOR PRIVATE CARS. THEY MAY APPLY AT THE LICENSING OFFICE AT PUI CHING ROAD, KOWLOON, BRINGING ALONG THEIR PROVISIONAL DRIVING LICENCE, HONG KONG IDENTITY CARD AND TWO PERSONAL PHOTOGRAPHS.
AT THE END OF THE COURSE, CANDIDATES WILL SIT FOR A SIMULATOR TEST AND THOSE WHO PASS WILL BE PLACED ON A SEPARATE WAITING LIST FOR THE COMBINED ROAD TEST.
+THIS MEANS THAT ONCE THEY HAVE FINISHED WITH THEIR PRIVATE ON-ROAD DRIVING LESSONS FOLLOWING THE INDOOR COURSE, THEY WILL BẸ ELIGIBLE TO TAKE THE COMBINED ROAD TEST AT A GIVEN DATE EARLIER THAN THE NORMAL WAITING PERIOD FOR SUCH TESTS,+ HE SAID.
THE INDOOR DRIVING INSTRUCTION CENTRE WAS OPENED IN JUNE LAST YEAR AND HAS REMAINED POPULAR. EQUIPPED WITH 16 DRIVING SIMULATORS, A SPECIAL FILM AND A COMPUTER-CONTROLLED PANEL, IT TEACHES CANDIDATES THE USE OF VARIOUS VEHICLE CONTROLS, RECOGNITION OF TRAFFIC SIGNS AND NORMAL REACTIONS TO DIFFERENT TRAFFIC SITUATION.
L