Barely Legal Drivers - what does it say about the Driving Test?

wba31

londonTiger wrote: »

Consider that a lot of entry level jobs that require driving (as well as commuting) you're taking away a lot of peoples job prospects when youth unemployment is high as it is already

When i look for a job i look at whether i can get there first. If i didnt own a car i wouldnt apply for jobs that required one if legally i couldnt get there.

jackieblack

wba31 wrote: »

If you actually read my post i say that there should maybe be heavy restrictions on the vehicle used etc. It's just my opinion based on things ive seen.

Yes and "drivers under 21/in first few years of driving should be limited on engine size etc." I completely agree with


But I don't understand the logic behind "limiting the times that they can drive or stopping them going on the motorway is too detrimental, especially if they work..."
but "To this day i think the driving age should be upped to 21" :huh:


I am the parent of a teenager who is currently learning to drive. She is off to Uni in September but her course will require blocks of work placements which will not be in places with good public transport links.
It's a rural campus and, due to the nature of the course, her placements are likely to be in rural areas as well. She's learning to drive because not to be able to do so will severely limit her prospects for both study and work.
Fortunately, we've found a really good instructor who is teaching her more than simply to pass the test, but who has given her a variety of driving practice in various local towns, all with different 'challenges', not just the town she'll take her test in. She's also been shown how to check the oil/water/tyres etc.
This is hugely different to some of the instructors some of her peers have had, who've simply taught to a 'tick list' of what's on the test and no more.


I agree that limiting the size vehicle a new driver can drive would be a good thing (as is the case with motorbikes), but in reality from what I've seen/heard from friends, the cost of insurance means most of her peers are driving small engine cars through financial necessity (if not through choice)

27col

Make everyone get qualified to ride a motor scooter/ bike before they are allowed to drive a car. Driving a motorcycle tends to seriously concentrate the mind, because you are so vulnerable. Best thing I ever did was to buy a motor bike when I first started to drive as a youth. It made you very aware of the perils of people getting off of buses, icy roads, and the importance of anticipation.
Drivers today seem to have absolutely no idea of the state of the road surface. As a motor cyclist back in the 50's we knew exactly what the state of the road surface was, before we set out.

keith1950

I agree that the standard of driving on the programme is atrocious but putting the driving to one side....... if these are the youth of today god help this country, I have not seen a more shallow , pathetic bunch of individuals !!

anotherbaldrick

Yes but the whole thing is staged for the cameras, it's nothing but a charade.

wba31

jackieblack wrote: »

Yes and "drivers under 21/in first few years of driving should be limited on engine size etc." I completely agree with


But I don't understand the logic behind "limiting the times that they can drive or stopping them going on the motorway is too detrimental, especially if they work..."
but "To this day i think the driving age should be upped to 21" :huh:


I am the parent of a teenager who is currently learning to drive. She is off to Uni in September but her course will require blocks of work placements which will not be in places with good public transport links.
It's a rural campus and, due to the nature of the course, her placements are likely to be in rural areas as well. She's learning to drive because not to be able to do so will severely limit her prospects for both study and work.
Fortunately, we've found a really good instructor who is teaching her more than simply to pass the test, but who has given her a variety of driving practice in various local towns, all with different 'challenges', not just the town she'll take her test in. She's also been shown how to check the oil/water/tyres etc.
This is hugely different to some of the instructors some of her peers have had, who've simply taught to a 'tick list' of what's on the test and no more.


I agree that limiting the size vehicle a new driver can drive would be a good thing (as is the case with motorbikes), but in reality from what I've seen/heard from friends, the cost of insurance means most of her peers are driving small engine cars through financial necessity (if not through choice)

I was kinda thinking out loud so i apologise if what i said was confusing.

Without wanting to repeat myself, i look at myself as an example for my own opinion. My driving instructor was phenomenal, i passed with only 24 hour long lessons, first car was a G-reg 1.2 Nissan Micra (white with a classy brown interior!), but once i was on my own i became the kind of driver that i now hate and will change my route or stop for 5 minutes to avoid.

I guess the increase of the black box insurers may make a difference, as much as i oppose them as i know my driving now is far from perfect, i'd like to think im a lot more considerate to others and aware 10 years on.

Mobeer

I saw one of these shows just recently. Both drivers featured were inexperienced but not bad, and the programme makers seemed almost disappointed in the way they presented the film clips.

In terms of driver training, the issues I would pick out:
- no training on motorways is allowed
- a test can be passed whilst only ever learning in daylight and good weather
- no minimum hours required
- no training after passing a test

Most of all, it worries me that someone can pass a test at 17, not be able to afford a car until age 25, then go out driving alone with no recent relevant experience.

CharlieRabbit01

wongataa wrote: »

Learner drivers are not allowed on motorways. Every new driver has no motorway experience. Learner drivers can get experience of roads similar to motorways if there are any dual carriageway A-roads near them that are basically motorway grade.

True.

I only ever drove a small strip of dual carriageway as it took up time in my lesson just to get there and back.

But then I did get lots of country lane driving experience which was perfect for Cornwall!

Johnmcl7

I watched the first program of the first series of Barely Legal Drivers and thought it was terrible, it doesn't sound like they've made any improvements since then.

BBC Three did show an excellent program about young drivers called Licence to Kill (not currently on Iplayer) which was presented by a young lady who had lost the use of both of her legs when she'd crashed her car. She went over some of the arguments for reducing crashes with younger drivers such as restricting cars and engines pointing out that she didn't believe many of them would be effective, her crash had been a small car with a low power engine as were many others. She showed a presentation where the focus was on education including parents speaking to the audience of young drivers about losing their children to driving accidents which the presenter believed had a much deeper impact. Certainly one of the scary parts about the Barely Legal Drivers is the fact they frequently thought their serious errors were something to be laughed at rather than concerned by.

John

alanrowell

Simple solution to most young driver problems - restrict them to two seater cars so they can't have their mates in the back.