Only professionals can put L-drivers on right road
He clearly shows his lack of appreciation for compulsory driver training but contradicts this by saying “obviously, professional lessons are a good idea”.
However, he does not state the amount of training required. It appears his main concern is the suggested 20 hours compulsory training costing €700 to be invested in acquiring a lifetime skill.
Expert advice and experience show that learners need at least 40 hours of professional training and this can be supplemented by supervised practice if they are to acquire the effective cognitive and psychomotor skills necessary for safe driving.
Mr Job’s silly statement that bad driving is deliberate lacks any credence or rationale. It is doubtful if any right minded driver gets behind the wheel each day and decides to drive badly, endangering his or her life. However, many motorists drive badly, but this is unintentional and not by design or planned.
His suggestion that parents and friends teach learners for nothing is ill-conceived and dangerous. Obviously, parents have the best intentions and will endeavour to do their best for their offspring, but this is fraught with danger and the consequences can be disastrous. Parents are not qualified driving teachers and do not possess the requisite teaching skills. This is evidenced by the many learners coming to driving schools at the insistence of their parents after they’ve had an accident or a close call.
Many learners apply for and sit their driving test even though the are unprepared. They ignore the advice given by conscientious and professional instructors and this consequently leads to disappointment, frustration, extra lessons and the added cost of applying for another test.
Mr Job fails to understand the causes of road crashes as he believes the solution is police enforcement. Certainly, legal penalties are a deterrent, better engineering (vehicles and roads) play an important role, but education must be the starting point.
Mr Job’s allegation that the suggested 20 hours training costing €700 is a moneymaking scam dreamt up between instructors and the Road Safety Authority is contemptible and not worthy of comment.
He concludes by saying that most drivers took their test a long time ago. What percentage is he alluding to? However, many drivers will admit to having developed bad habits over the years and I agree drivers should be reassessed (tested, according to Mr Job) at regular intervals during their driving career to maintain standards.
Finally, Mr Job would be well advised to look at best practice in relation to driver training in other countries. He may then understand the safety benefits of training for vulnerable learner drivers who are about to embark on their driving careers. €700 would have been a small price to pay for many of the 41,600 people killed and the 150,000 permanently injured in vehicle crashes on the roads of Europe each year.
Thomas Harrington
Advanced Driving Examiner
Meadowlands
Oakpark
Tralee
Co Kerry
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