XN000022-1974-05-15 — Page 3

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WEDNESDAY, MAY 15, 1974

GOVERNMENT'S INDOOR DRIVING CENTRE OPENS

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A NEW SYSTEM TO GIVE BASIC DRIVING INSTRUCTION TO LEARNER DRIVERS WILL BE INTRODUCED BY THE GOVERNMENT ON JUNE 1.

THIS IS THE DATE WHEN THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT'S SIMULATOR- TRAINER SYSTEM BECOMES OPERATIVE.

CANDIDATES WHO HAVE PASSED THE WRITTEN TEST ON THE HIGHWAY CODE WILL BE ABLE TO LEARN THE BASIC FUNDAMENTALS OF DRIVING INSIDE A SIMULATED CAR WITH A SCREEN IN FRONT SHOWING ROAD CONDITIONS.

THE OFFICER IN CHARGE OF THE INDOOR INSTRUCTION CENTRE, MR. HENRY KU, SAID TODAY THAT THE DRIVER WILL BE TRAINED IN THE USE OF VARIOUS CONTROLS, RECOGNITION OF TRAFFIC SIGNS, AND NORMAL REACTIONS TO DIFFERENT TRAFFIC SITUATIONS.

+ANY MISTAKES MADE WILL BE AUTOMATICALLY DETECTED ON A COMPUTER-OPERATED CONSOLE ATTACHED TO THE CENTRAL CONTROL, WHERE AN INSTRUCTOR MONITORS THE DRIVING OF THE CARS AND THE

· INDIVIDUAL STUDENT,+ HE SAID.

12. KU SAID THAT FROM JUNE 1, THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT WOULD UFFER A COURSE OF 15 ONE-HOUR LESSONS ON THE SIMULATOR.

THE COURSE WILL COVER LECTURES BY TRAINED INSTRUCTORS, FILM DEMONSTRATIONS AND SIMULATOR DRIVING. THE FEE FOR EACH 15-HOUR COURSE WILL BE $200. CLASSES WILL BE HELD SEVEN DAYS A WEEK FROM 7 A.M. UNTIL 11 P.M. IN CANTONESE= · ENGLISH COURSES WILL BE HELD FROM TIME TO TIME AS THE NEED ARISES.

MR. KU SAID THAT BY TAKING THE SPECIAL COURSE, IT WAS INTENDED TO REDUCE CONSIDERABLY THE TIME NEEDED BY A LEARNER DRIVER IN ON-THE-ROAD TRAINING.

AFTER PASSING THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT'S TEST, THE DRIVER WILL STILL NEED TO TAKE ACTUAL DRIVING LESSONS ON THE ROADS BEFORE UNDERGOING A COMBINED ROAD TEST.

STATISTICS SHOW THAT THE AVERAGE HONG KONG CANDIDATE OVER THE AGE OF 30 TAKES HIS FINAL ROAD TEST 2.5 TIMES BEFORE HE „QUALIFIES FOR HIS DRIVING LICENCE. THIS INVOLVES SOMETHING LIKE

130 HOURS OF ON-ROAD TRAINING.

FOR A PERSON UNDER 30, THE FIGURES ARE REDUCED SOMEWHAT, BUT STILL WITH AN AVERAGE OF TWO TIMES AND A TOTAL OF ABOUT 80 HOURS.

HOWEVER, MR. KU POINTED OUT THAT EARLY RESULTS USING THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT'S COURSE INDICATE THAT MORE PEOPLE SHOULD BE ABLE TO PASS THE COMBINED ROAD TEST AT THE FIRST ATTEMPT AND AFTER TAKING AN AVERAGE OF ONLY ABOUT 50 HOURS OF ON-ROAD TRAINING.

APPLICATIONS FOR COURSES ON THE SIMULATOR WILL BE ACCEPTED BY THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT FROM FRIDAY (MAY 17).

THOSE