5 June 2007
A poll from car insurer Direct Line has revealed that the majority of motorists would like to see the standard British driving test altered to better prepare new motorists for driving on their own.
A whopping 89% of those asked said that the test needed a revamp with half of drivers who had passed in the last twelve months saying they thought the test had been too easy. Interestingly, 75% of instructors also issued concerns about the standard of driving demanded in the test.
The majority of those polled also believed that introducing sections for night driving, motorway driving and travelling on dual carriageways would also be beneficial, supporting the claims of 31% of new motorists who said they felt unready to drive on their own after passing their test.
Worryingly, a quarter of the newly qualified drivers said they had been involved in a crash because of a lack of skill and a further 17% reported near misses. The results will pile further pressure on the government to adapt the current test and to perhaps raise the minimum age for driving to 18 years old.
Direct Line's motor spokeswoman Emma Holyer told GMTV: "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."
© 2008 Adfero Ltd
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