WikiWirral values you and your opinion.
Forum Statistics
Forums65
Topics76,352
Posts1,033,280
Members14,560
Most Online16,551
Feb 2nd, 2024
Who's Online Now
11 members (ArranGirl13, 3 invisible), 7,906 guests, and 508 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Top Posters
sunnyside 45,164
MattLFC 22,315
Mark 21,269
granny 17,788
_Ste_ 16,345
Newest Members
Kalena1962, rattus, Lisrush, Emotecreative, ArranGirl13
14,560 Registered Users
New General Forums
New Wirral History
Tall Brick Chimneys
by diggingdeeper - 16th Mar 2024 11:56am
D.I.Y. / Building Shop
by mharford91 - 3rd Mar 2024 8:53pm
1970's Murder in Central Park, Wallasey
by cutespam - 4th Aug 2018 10:28am
Old Hall in Higher Bebington
by Rhoobarb - 25th May 2010 5:55pm
Oleo Works
by Ducko - 14th May 2008 3:09pm
Top Posters(30 Days)
granny 14
casper 13
bri445 4
Topic Replies
Facial recognition coming in supermarkets?
by diggingdeeper - 27th Mar 2024 3:50pm
Bolts at Bebington Road
by diggingdeeper - 27th Mar 2024 2:33am
Hot Spot Chippie Broadway
by Excoriator - 26th Mar 2024 7:57pm
Tall Brick Chimneys
by diggingdeeper - 26th Mar 2024 5:43pm
Lost river (Well, brook really)
by diggingdeeper - 26th Mar 2024 3:09am
Old Hall in Higher Bebington
by diggingdeeper - 24th Mar 2024 5:58pm
Netflix 3 Body Problem.
by BultacoAstro - 22nd Mar 2024 8:04am
Wisper electric bike. 36v .
by Dilly - 21st Mar 2024 7:36pm
This is Elvis
by GingerTom - 21st Mar 2024 9:27am
March
M T W T F S S
1 2 3
4 5 6 7 8 9 10
11 12 13 14 15 16 17
18 19 20 21 22 23 24
25 26 27 28 29 30 31
Top Likes Received (30 Days)
cools 1
Kylix 1
Top Likes Received
bert1 14
Mark 4
granny 3
casper 3
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
#213396 3rd Mar 2008 4:46pm
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 2,855
krisGTi Offline OP
Forum Master
OP Offline
Forum Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 2,855
The cost of learning to drive will rise by up to £500 under government plans to introduce more rigorous training and testing for both learner-drivers and instructors.

The biggest reform of driver training for a generation, due to be announced this month, will force learners to have extra lessons and prove that they have acquired key skills before taking the practical driving test.

The changes are being made to address the rising death toll from crashes caused by inexperienced and reckless young drivers.

More than 14 young drivers and their passengers are killed every week in Britain. Male drivers aged 17 to 20 are almost ten times more likely to be killed or seriously injured behind the wheel than men aged 40 to 59. One in three young drivers admits overtaking while unable to see what is coming, compared with one in ten older drivers, according to a survey commissioned by Brake, a road safety charity.

Under the proposals, to be published in a consultation document, learners will have to accumulate skills in a series of modules, with their attainment verified by a driving instructor. The modules will include basic skills such as parallel parking as well as areas not now tested, such as using high speed roads and driving at night.

Some elements of the Pass Plus scheme, under which newly qualified drivers take between five and ten extra lessons in return for cheaper insurance, will be incorporated in the training for all learners. The changes will increase the time it takes to qualify, meaning fewer 17-year-olds will gain licences.

The standard of tuition will also be improved.

Many learners do not realise how variable the quality of instruction can be. Fewer than 7 per cent of the 36,000 instructors hold the top Grade 6 qualification and most are Grade 4, which is one above the unsatisfactory level that triggers a requirement for a further test.

Eddie Barnaville, the chief executive of the Driving Instructors’ Association, said that the cost of learning to drive was likely to rise by about 50 per cent because candidates would need to take up to ten extra lessons and each would be more expensive.

The average cost of a lesson is £22 but this will rise to about £32 because instructors will face greater training costs. There will also be fewer of them, especially part-time, meaning there will be less competition.

Mr Barnaville said a candidate taking the recommended 42 hours of professional tuition was likely to see the costs rise from £1,000 to about £1,500 once the new rules were introduced next year.

“That may sound a lot of money but isn’t much when you consider you are obtaining a skill for life. Better training will save lives and what price can you put on that?”

The AA welcomed the improvement in training but said many poorer families would struggle to afford lessons.

Andrew Howard, the AA’s head of road safety, said: “It could damage the employment prospects of young people if it takes a lot longer to get a licence. We would also be worried if the new test penalises those academically less able.”

Jim Fitzpatrick, the Road Safety Minister, said in a Westminster Hall debate last month: “Young people are almost fatalistic about having accidents as novice drivers. They know that they must do some training to pass the test, but they seem to expect to teach themselves ‘real driving’ once they have passed.

“We do not believe that young people should be left to learn such a vital skill in that fashion.”


[Linked Image]
Google Ads
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 2,888
Forum Master
Offline
Forum Master
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 2,888
to some extent i agree with this introduction of new rules, but then there's still going to be ppl after doing that training that will be Grrrs on the road anyway...


Moderated by  Mod 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Random Wirral Images

Click to View Topic.
Newest Topics
Facial recognition coming in supermarkets?
by Excoriator - 27th Mar 2024 10:52am
Hot Spot Chippie Broadway
by Excoriator - 26th Mar 2024 7:57pm
Bolts at Bebington Road
by Excoriator - 23rd Mar 2024 9:48am
Netflix 3 Body Problem.
by BultacoAstro - 22nd Mar 2024 8:04am
Tall Brick Chimneys
by diggingdeeper - 16th Mar 2024 11:56am
For Sale & Free
Wisper electric bike. 36v .
by Dilly - 21st Mar 2024 7:36pm
This is Elvis
by GingerTom - 17th Mar 2024 2:37pm
Member Spotlight
KevinFinity
KevinFinity
Wirral
Posts: 2,354
Joined: April 2009
Today's Birthdays
There are no members with birthdays on this day.
New Wirral Info
Facial recognition coming in supermarkets?
by Excoriator - 27th Mar 2024 10:52am
Hot Spot Chippie Broadway
by Excoriator - 26th Mar 2024 7:57pm
Bolts at Bebington Road
by Excoriator - 23rd Mar 2024 9:48am
Get your Money Tree ready
by keef666 - 22nd Mar 2023 12:27pm
Restaurant/pub with outdoor seating - Bromborough
by CarterUSM - 7th Aug 2020 7:59pm
News : New Topics
Gaza
by diggingdeeper - 29th Oct 2023 9:28am
Lost river (Well, brook really)
by Excoriator - 10th Sep 2019 8:50am
New Enthusiast Forums
Netflix 3 Body Problem.
by BultacoAstro - 22nd Mar 2024 8:04am
Xbox
by TudorBlue - 3rd Mar 2024 8:48pm
Wiper mechanism needed
by Peter0787 - 20th Feb 2024 4:07pm
Popular Topics(Views)
5,067,983 WIKI WALK CHAT
4,013,770 Spotted!
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5