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 Post subject: longer tests blocked
PostPosted: Tue Jun 05, 2007 18:10 
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75% of driving instructors think that the test should be longer including motorway and night driving
the IAM are against it due to increased costs leading to fewer people taking the test and therefore driving illegally.

the current test is inadequete and so the standard is below acceptable. the IAM seem to think that this is more acceptable than having drivers of the same (or possibly better) but illegal. go figure :?

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PostPosted: Thu Jun 07, 2007 06:39 
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Is that 75% of all driving instructors or just 75% of those who were asked? :wink:

I think this has been covered in another thread, but how would you go about training someone up on motorway driving if the area is too far away to access a motorway?
:?


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PostPosted: Thu Jun 07, 2007 08:42 
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It came from a survey carried out by direct line.

Reference to survey

Quote:
More than half of motorists think the driving test is too easy, it was revealed today.

And as many as 89 per cent of those who have passed the test in the last two years would like to see candidates given a tougher examination, a survey from insurance company Direct Line found.

Also, 75 per cent of driving instructors have serious concerns about the test.

Based on responses from 2,304 adults, the survey found that 54 per cent of all drivers found the test too easy and 21 per cent admitted they felt unprepared or incapable of driving alone after gaining a full licence.

Also, 19 per cent said they still struggled to drive at night, with 11 per cent being unhappy on motorways and 23 per cent feeling uncomfortable on icy roads.

Lack of skills
Of those who had passed their test in the last two years, 89 per cent said the test could be improved to better prepare them for the road while nearly a quarter said they had been involved in a car accident because of a lack of driving skills.

Nearly all of the 150 driving instructors questioned in a separate survey, and about half of the motorists polled, said the test should include motorway training.

Direct Line's motor spokeswoman Emma Holyer said: 'Road crashes are the number one killer of people in their teens and 20s in the UK.

'Our study has revealed the extent to which people feel the driving test has under-prepared them for the roads and, in the interests of safety, we are calling on the Driving Standards Agency to improve the test.'

The Press Association, All Rights Reserved.

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PostPosted: Thu Jun 07, 2007 09:51 
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Aaah, so it WAS 75% of those asked then...150 in total.
112.5 driving instructors ...mmmm....Can you get a half of a driving instructor?
:lol:


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 Post subject: Re: longer tests blocked
PostPosted: Thu Jun 07, 2007 11:45 
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scanny77 wrote:
75% of driving instructors think that the test should be longer including motorway and night driving


Unfortunately for this idea, there are huge swathes of the population who live many miles and hours from a motorway.

Also, since L-drivers are forbidden on motorways, how is the test to be administered? Or the teaching done?


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PostPosted: Thu Jun 07, 2007 11:47 
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COST??

How much do new drivers pay in additional premiums?
If they were better trained, then these further costs would come down!!

And what price do they put on a life? The DfT are fond of quoting the costs of accidents to the NHS, so have the IAM not taken that into account?

:x :x :x

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PostPosted: Thu Jun 07, 2007 11:59 
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I'm not a fan of using simulators in these instances, but I recon a well-writen simulation with realistic controls / blindspots etc could be a useful aid to learning motorway driving and would eliminate the geographical problems.

If mickysoft can come up with a realistic flight sim I'm sure they can come up with a realistic driving sim...

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 Post subject: Re: longer tests blocked
PostPosted: Fri Jun 08, 2007 08:01 
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patdavies wrote:
scanny77 wrote:
75% of driving instructors think that the test should be longer including motorway and night driving


Unfortunately for this idea, there are huge swathes of the population who live many miles and hours from a motorway.

Also, since L-drivers are forbidden on motorways, how is the test to be administered? Or the teaching done?

I would imagine (except for the distance obstacle) that once a candidate had passed the standard test, before being allowed to drive unsupervised on a motorway, a further test had to be passed. Those who failed would be prohibited from motorway driving unless accompanied by a fully qualified driver (in much the same way as a 'bog standard' learner is now on 'normal' roads). Of course you would need to have taken more lessons aimed at coaching motorway driving/lane & speed sense in order to qualify for the motorway test.
:)


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PostPosted: Fri Jun 08, 2007 22:48 
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On the other side of the coin - know there are posters from areas of the country where windy narrow/single track roads are the norm . They may well suggest that due to the incompetance seen by tourists in summertime that a separate test to use these roads is needed( or just a test for common sense). :lol:

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PostPosted: Sun Jun 10, 2007 03:50 
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Ernest Marsh wrote:
COST??

How much do new drivers pay in additional premiums?
If they were better trained, then these further costs would come down!!


Compared to experienced legal drivers or illegal drivers? :wink:


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PostPosted: Sun Jun 10, 2007 12:07 
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ElandGone wrote:
Is that 75% of all driving instructors or just 75% of those who were asked? :wink:

I think this has been covered in another thread, but how would you go about training someone up on motorway driving if the area is too far away to access a motorway?
:?


Use a 50-70 mph dual carriageway. The Germans do this if they cannot deliver the A/bahn drive from my understanding of their test criteria.

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 Post subject: Re: longer tests blocked
PostPosted: Sun Jun 10, 2007 12:16 
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patdavies wrote:
scanny77 wrote:
75% of driving instructors think that the test should be longer including motorway and night driving


Unfortunately for this idea, there are huge swathes of the population who live many miles and hours from a motorway.

Also, since L-drivers are forbidden on motorways, how is the test to be administered? Or the teaching done?


They could always amend the law as Germany did in 1976 after a newly qualified caused a five car pile-up in which resulted in deaths and serious injury at the time. :popcorn:


The upshot of that legislation at the time was that at least two hours night drive had to be completed via supervised formal driving lesson and I think the learner is restricted to 70 mph on their motorways whilst under supervision and on the test these days. If they are miles away from a motorway - then they use the next best fast road instead. However, I think fast A roads will still fit the bill to a great extent anyway.

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PostPosted: Sun Jun 10, 2007 12:20 
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We do have Pass Plus which covers the motorway/fast road drive/night drive/twisty rural drive - but it's optional and not as many as we'd like take it up as it does not reduce insurance premiums for "raw/green" drivers.

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PostPosted: Sun Jun 10, 2007 15:27 
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In Gear wrote:
We do have Pass Plus which covers the motorway/fast road drive/night drive/twisty rural drive - but it's optional and not as many as we'd like take it up as it does not reduce insurance premiums for "raw/green" drivers.

I think the government needs some kind of commitment from insurers that completing Pass Plus will lead to a significant reduction in premiums.

As far as the motorway argument goes, surely Pass Plus should simply aim to take novice drivers on the fastest and highest standard roads available in the locality. There are relatively few people who are not within an hour's drive of a grade-separated dual carriageway. If a small number of drivers in Aberystwyth and Stornoway don't get to practice on one, it won't have a huge effect on overall driving standards.

I would not object to Pass Plus or a similar scheme becoming a mandatory requirement but - as often stated here before - making the basic L-test significantly harder would in practice make matters worse, not better.

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