BBC News: Driving test scam

[notaboyracer]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6231892.stm

I've always though the driving test should be harder, but not so sure after reading this, maybe the teaching/testing style should be changed to be more effective, not necessarily harder or easier?

What do people think, is this a major problem or just a small number of criminals who will always do this whatever the test is like for everyone else?

[Gromit37]

It's not really a case of whether the test is made harder or easier. It needs tighter controls to stop this from happening. I daresay the punishment for getting somebody else to take your test is to revoke their provisional license, so they will continue to drive without one anyway. Either way, it's not an appealing thought.

I think the test needs to concentrate on putting young drivers in the right mindset - making them want to improve. Maybe have a three tier system, basic pass, intermediate and advanced, with a time limit to pass at least the first two within say two years.

[steev]

This is like an idea I have been pushing for a little while now.

Do the existing 'L' test but have to go and do a second test 3 months later. This will provide a real incentive to maintain standards for at least that time - the hope being that after 3 months of driving to standard that style might just have become habit.

There would be no compulsion to continue lessons but the my hope is that the threat of no licence if you fail would encourage many to seek additional training or coaching either from ADI or road safety improvement groups such as IAM and RoSPA.

Those that choose to keep the skills polished should be even better than the original pass so in my view standards would raise.

No need for any different test, so no need to train examiners but I do accept that we'd need many more examiners.