XN000022-1983-07-07 — Page 3

1983

THURSDAY, JULY 7, 1983

NEW TEST SYSTEM WON'T LOWER STANDARD

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THE ADOPTION OF A MORE COMMON SENSE+ APPROACH TO DRIVING LICENCE ROAD TESTS WILL NOT LEAD TO ANY LOWERING OF STANDARDS, THE ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER FOR TRANSPORT, MR COLIN PRISTON, SAID TODAY.

AT PRESENT, TESTING IS CARRIED OUT BY USING A CHECKLIST OF FAULTS. ONCE A CERTAIN TOTAL IS PASSED THE CANDIDATE IS AUTOMATICALLY FAILED.

THIS SYSTEM IS A LITTLE TOO RIGID+, HE SAID.

+A PERSON MIGHT BE A SAFE DRIVER BUT THE 'TICK SYSTEM' MEANT THAT THERE WAS NO ROOM FOR ANY LEEWAY TO TAKE A COMMON SENSE DECISION TO GIVE HIM, OR HER A LICENCE.+

A TRIAL TEST SYSTEM TO RUN FOR THREE MONTHS FROM JULY 15 WILL ONLY FAIL A CANDIDATE IF SERIOUS FAULTS ARE INDICATED. OTHER MISTAKES WILL STILL BE LISTED AND TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION IN THE PASS-FAIL DECISION.

+THE REQUIRED STANDARD WILL CERTAINLY NOT BE LOWERED, SAID MR PRISTON, THERE IS NO SUGGESTION THAT PEOPLE WILL HAVE THINGS ANY EASIER DURING THE TESTS. WE ARE JUST ATTEMPTING TO REMOVE SOME OF THE RIGIDITY IN ASSESSMENTS,

IT IS HOPED THAT THE PROPORTION OF CANDIDATES WHO PASS THEIR DRIVING TEST WILL INCREASE FROM THE PRESENT 15 PER CENT TO A RATIO CLOSER TO THE LEVEL IN OTHER NATIONS AROUND THE WORLD.

CANDIDATES WILL NOW BE TOLD SHORTLY AFTER THEY HAVE COMPLETED THE IR TEST WHETHER OR NOT THEY HAVE FAILED INSTEAD OF HAVING TO WAIT ABOUT 10 DAYS TO BE NOTIFIED BY POST.

THE DEPARTMENT DEFINES A SERIOUS FAULT IN A TEST AS ONE WHICH INVOLVES EITHER IMMEDIATE OR POTENTIAL DANGER ON THE ROAD AND/OR MANOEUVRES THAT ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE.

MINOR FAULTS ARE MISTAKES SUCH AS FAILURE TO SELECT CORRECT GEAR FIRST TIME.

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