DSA Announces new approach to Learning to Drive

29 April 2009

RoadSafe welcomes the approach being taken to proceed with a programme of measures, based on education and incentivisation, which will strengthen the way that people learn to drive and are tested, and encourage a culture of lifelong learning.

Much needs to be done to develop the proposals in the proposals recently issued by DSA in its Learning to Drive - Response to the Consultation report.

We particularly welcome:

• a new voluntary vocational van drivers qualification
• the development of a new approach to re-education and re-assessment of certain road traffic offenders.
• an assessment of competence whilst driving independently into all practical tests for learner drivers
• the introducing ‘Situational Judgement’ into the theory test
• a new, improved Pass Plus scheme – by March 2011

Above all we are delighted that employers and insurers will be engaged on a suite of new qualifications aimed at work-based and advanced post-test driver training schemes.

However we also believe that there are already a number of excellent schemes already available through driving schools, local authorities and fleet providers which go well beyond the scope of the Government proposals and recommend that parents and employers look carefully at these. One such approach which we recommend is the BTEC in Driving Science which provides a comprehensive novice driver programme, which results in a more-fully informed driver with a full appreciation of the factors that influence safety.