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Concern expressed over lack of young drivers' skills

Concern has been expressed about the lack of young drivers' skills with 90% of participants in compulsory further training courses showing inability to control vehicles correctly and 50% showing gaps in their knowledge of the Highway Code.
 
In Switzerland a two-phase training scheme for new drivers has been in operation for six years. This means that new drivers only get a full driving licence if they have managed to drive without serious incident after a probationary period of 3 years following their test. During this time they have to undergo two further one-day training sessions at authorised centres at a cost of CHF 300 per day.
 
The reports of the young drivers' lack of skills have come from 17 of the 20 official further training centres following a questionnaire of the Swiss Driving Instructors' Association.
 
The lack of skills was confirmed by Josef Blersch, head of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency of the canton of Schwyz. "Unfortunately, a proportion of new drivers are just not capable of driving properly," he said.
 
So are the driving instructors at fault? Robert Eberhard, president of the Central Swiss Driving School Association was quick to defend them by saying, "They face the dilemma of having to teach to a high standard while being under pressure from their pupils to take the driving test as soon as possible." He admitted, however, that there were instructors who were prepared to offer fewer lessons in an attempt to attract more younger drivers.
 
Eberhard also mentioned the problems of young drivers picking up bad driving skills when out with drivers other than instructors, who then find these poor skills more difficult to correct.
 
As to the lack of knowledge of the Highway Code, Eberhard feels this is due to the lack of theory lessons which were in part abandoned when the two-phase system was introduced. "This is why the young drivers seems to lack a basic knowledge of current regulations and signalling," he added.
 
This also explains why Eberhard is calling for politicians to re-introduce basic theory lessons to include more than just the driving hazards and physics which are taught at present.
 
Sven Meier, president of the Zug Traffic School, an association of some 13 independent driving instructors, has also noticed how some participants in the further training sessions fail to adapt their speed to the prevailing conditions and to give way where necessary. "One way to improve matters would be if all driving tests across the country were conducted according to the same criteria," he said.
 
However it cannot be said that passing the driving test is too easy. Peter Keiser of the Lucerne Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency said that the pass rate there was 62% last year and had hardly changed over the years. Furthermore it lay 1% or 2% lower than in some other cantons. Overall he thought the current system worked well.
 
As to the point of view of the police, they would welcome any measures which would lead to improving young drivers' skills. "It is clear that 18 - 24-year-olds are at higher risk of accident. On the one hand they are prepared to take greater risks and on the other hand they lack experience," said Franz-Xaver Zemp, head of the Lucerne traffic police.
 
Another factor involved is clearly financial. At present a driving lesson costs between CHF 75 and CHF 95, meaning that, if the average pupil takes 15 lessons before taking the test, he is looking at CHF 1125 or CHF 1425. Then there are the fees for the first aid course and the Highway Code test, costing between CHF 120 and CHF 240. With another CHF 270 on top for the test itself and other administrative costs, the total cost of a driving licence is significantly over CHF 2000. So it is understandable that young drivers want to take their test as soon as possible, resulting in possible shortcomings.
 


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