zadocbrown wrote:No, I never said it was about only maintaining standards. If we were to introduce re-testing, it would surely be some kind of graded system?
Your original, unedited, post is below.
zadocbrown wrote:Re-testing at least every 10 years. Its the only logical thing to do.
'Health and Safety' is a constant irritant to me, in that it's often taken to ridiculous extremes. But for some reason, driving seems mysteriously exempt from any such concerns (for the general public at least). Where else today would you be allowed to carry out an activity involving substantial risk of
death, both to one's self and to innocent bystanders, on the strength of having passed a test 20 years ago (when standards were different) and had zero training or assessment since?!!!!!
It would also allow for a grading system, which could be taken into account for insurance purposes, which would be a good incentive for people to improve.
Re-testing
at the same level, ie taking the same test is about maintaining standards. What you suggest is that the DSA examiner will give grades of pass which
'could be taken into account for insurance purposes'.This presupposes that there is a relationship between how well you comply with the set of competences in the DSA test and your risk to an insurer. With respect, that is misconceived. Unless of course you can cite evidence to substantiate this.
Note, endorsement points can be taken into account for insurance purposes yet insurers don't necessarily, (actuarially speaking), believe there is an increased risk to them. We cannot tell the insurance companies what premium to charge people.
zadocbrown wrote:I don't think changing the way learners are taught will make a huge difference. It's still catering for the lowest denominator, and will be heavily constrained by economic considerations. i.e. learners can't afford more, longer, or more complex tuition.
We need to face the fact that newly qualified drivers will never be finished products; and the only way to make sure more people develop in the right direction after the L test is further education.
But re-testing isn't education is it? It is maintaining a standard of 'the lowest common denominator' which I agree with you shouldn't be our aim with experienced drivers. (By the way if the DSA is 'the lowest common denominator' then all statutory driving tests would be the same in every country and ours is quite difficult comparatively).
My view if there is going to be 'education' is to treat experienced drivers as just that, experienced and offer them appropriate further training.
This may involve a requirement to engage in a defensive driving course eg every 10 years. No test, as that may be too difficult politically and economically, but something useful to the experienced driver rather than dragging him back to the 'lowest common denominator' test you refer to.
If Waremark is correct in saying fleet training has had a positive effect on road safety, and it seems plausible, then this seems the way to go.
Defensive driving is, in my view, the perfect step for most drivers who wont be persuaded to learn a new system of car control necessary for advanced driving.
It is all to easy to make statements such as this
"Where else today would you be allowed to carry out an activity involving substantial risk of death, both to one's self and to innocent bystanders, on the strength of having passed a test 20 years ago (when standards were different) and had zero training or assessment since?!!!!!
but on closer analysis it is misconceived. It is claiming that all other activities that are potentially dangerous have mandatory regular re-testing and re-training and that is simply not the case.
Again it is all too easy to say we need more 'education' of drivers without a proper consideration of the most effective way this could be applied.
This is why when someone on this forum mentions the word 're-test' others appear to jump for joy but is this the best solution for road safety? I would liken it to reducing a speed limit and erecting a speed camera as being the obvious solution to improving road safety.