Driving test is 80 today - time to bring it up to date, says IAM

I learned to ride a motorcycle a year and a half ago, 21 years after I had passed my driving test.

I found it a really helpful experience to have my roadcraft challenged and tested. Despite having a completely clean driving record (so far), and having been cycling in and around London for the past 13 years, going through a new learning process really did make me look at the world in a slightly different way and enhance my overall road ability.

Having said that, I went into the whole process with a real desire to learn, rather than just seeing it as an administrative hurdle. The challenge with a simple, compulsory abbreviated test every few years is that many people will do the minimum required to scrape through it, and will then go straight back to old habits.

It speaks volumes that, when I'm cycling, I feel much safer around learner drivers than I do around "experienced" drivers. If the driving test and licensing requirements are adequate, surely it should be the other way around?

I'd like to see Driver Theory Test every 5 years when you have to renew a photo style driving license. I understand everyone is able to operate their vehicle, but is everyone up to date with the current legislation for their license.

If you pass your test tomorrow you can drive a car.

If you passed your test in 1997 you can drive a car, a car with trailer, a car with caravan, 8/9 passengers in a bus (without reward) and a 7.5ton lorry (small tipper truck size) to name but a few....

The test is very simple (give up your car for 24hrs in shame for not getting 43/50. New drivers are given an hour to complete it (practise tests are available (app available too)) and it only takes 20min.

If you want to tow a caravan or trailer then maybe you can be asked a slightly more comprehensive questions as motorcyclists are requested to do for their license.

Now has anybody got bright ideas for how 'the powers that be' can do this cheaply. On-line somehow????

As most people here I ride and drive. I feel that retests every 5 years are the way to go, it wouldn't have to be a full test, there shouldn't be any need for manouvers, just general driving. The retesting on the highway code, is a necessary as so many people completely forget it as soon as they pass. Another thing that I think should be done is that people have to successfully pass all of the 'awareness' courses before they get their full license. Something that could help is having to do tests at different times of the day.

Quote:

Particular shortcomings of the current test highlighted by the road safety charity include how to drive safely at night, in poor weather, or on country roads.

And driving towards a low sun?

I think the "war on motorists" mentality is part of the problem, far too many drivers believe they are being persecuted, that speeding, tailgating etc isn't really a problem. Further too many drivers believe they are good drivers and it is everyone else that is the problem.

Only have to ask why it is so difficult for drivers to drive at 20mph, or that 80mph is acceptable on motorways, why so many think it is ok to park on double yellow lines, to jump red lights as they change, to block hatched junctions, to use mobile phones etc etc.

Car driving isn't seen as a privilege but as a right, the idea of hardship appeals further reinforce this. How many drivers get to 12 points in one journey? Wouldn't the fact that you got there suggest you are repeatedly breaking the law?? So why if you are so stupid to have failed to heed warnings when you received the other points should you be allowed to carry on driving??

So long as motorists is equated to man on the street voter there will be no change.
I've lost count of the times politicians shout rabble rousing comments about the fuel escalator, or the war on motorists, and expect no change.

It seems the people who already drive and have passed their easy test without complaint are the ones wanting others to sit a harder test at greater expense.

All they have to do is add a section for driving around vulnerable road users and job done.

dazwan, i also agree with your comments, and i think every other person who uses this forum would agree. The law is already in place to hammer motorists but like you say its seldom used to its extreme. Its time that changed.

Totally agree with dazwan, there needs to be more incentive to not break the law.
Up to 4 (Can even be 5 with the speed awareness option.) speeding offences in a limited time before you, temporarily, lose your license?
Unfortunately the FPN being the easy option as it saves police time and relieves pressure on the courts means it is over used in my opinion.

I don't think the driving test is the problem, its the way in which our roads are policed. On top of a lack of police numbers to effectively enforce the law, there is an overwhelming unwillingness to prosecute motorists as long as they aren't taking the piss and even when they do get charged the courts hand down sentences that are an absolute joke. As long as there's a situation where motorists don't fear reprisals for breaking the law there will continue to be poor standards of driving.

We need more police on our roads and we need punishments that are going to hurt people who break the law. I'd like to see fines indexed to a person's earnings, so a speeding fine for a £100k/year earner will hurt just as much as it would for a minimum wage earner and also get rid of the hardship rule, if someone already has 9 points on their license and they are still flouting the law they deserve to lose their licence, if it affects their family they should have thought about that before they chose to break the law for the nth time.

First aid training needs refreshing every 3 years.
Driver training needs a statement signing after 53 years!

Seems quite simple to get everyone to retake the theory part every 5 or 10 years to match photo license renewal. At least that way you could argue people were up to date on the current rules.

http://www.racfoundation.org/assets/rac_foundation/content/downloadables...

I see and come across some horrendous driving at work and its generally accepted by my colleagues that a test should be done every 5 years and it should be a hell of a lot harder.

It isn't slow old people that kill other road users, it's predominantly young men, all of whom have recently passed their test and all believe they are better drivers than absolutely everybody else. Men shouldn't be allowed to drive until they're at least 21. Admit it fellas we were all dick heads at 17 to 20ish!

The problem is that if you pass the driving test at 18yrs old, there isn't a compulsory retest until you're 70, unless you've committed an offence. There's no encouragement to develop good driving habits, and every opportunity to develop bad ones.

We really need a psychological/attitudinal assessment included. There's plenty of people capable of driving well enough to pass a technical test but who, in certain circumstances become raging maniacs - and in those moments they're really not fit to be driving.
I never get abused and hassled on the Tube by strangers like I do when I'm riding my bike, surely we can work out why people get so angry and aggressive when they get in a car and filter them out somehow (or require them to pay for time with a therapist!)

The current system is turning out too many drivers who patently have no idea how to drive around cyclists. The provisions relating to how to overtake people on bikes should be compulsory learning.