As you may be aware, I am training for my full UK Motorcycle licence (Test Oct 19th 2023) and in doing so I have had to learn the new Highway Code and good riding practices for modern UK road usage.
I’m 55 years young and proof you can teach an old git new tricks 😉
Like an ex smoker (of which I am) nagging his friends about giving up, I must admit I have become a bit of a driving bore, pointing out to my friends and family where they are going wrong in their driving, but with best intention and a good heart.
With these freshened up eyes, I now see the terrible state driving skills of other road users has become over the last 20 or 30 years, and here I would like to start the discussion as to why. I must admit, I too have been guilty over the years.
This is not a single reason issue as I believe part of each reason I lay before you below is contributory to the whole.
- Have driver / rider training and testing standards decreased ?
I thought about this and it could be argued that driving instructors could be teaching at a lower standard but for that to be true, we would need to see a fall in driving test passes of which the data available via the DVLA suggests that on average, test passes for cars is on or about par, a bit less for motorcycles and up on lorries. This suggests that the examiners testing is robust. Thus anyone holding a UK full license, in theory, should be able to drive to quite a high standard. - International Driving Licenses.
Here we face this issue of standards in other countries being observably lower than the UK but drivers still being able to drive on the licence they gained in their country on UK roads for 12 months or until they are 70 dependent on where they originated from.
“From the EU Group of countries, not the European land mass, you are permitted even after Brexit, to drive on UK roads using your EU Group license until you are 70.
Out side of the EU project including the rest of the European land mass counties and beyound, you need to take a UK test after 12 months of driving in the UK.
“Non-UK driving licence holders can drive any category of small vehicle (motorcycles, cars, vehicles up to 3,500kg such as vans, or with up to eight passenger seats) in the UK on their original full, valid licence for 12 months.2 To hire a car in the UK, you must hold a full Driver’s licence or an International Driving Licence, and have been driving for at least 12 months.1 If you’re moving to the UK with a valid licence issued in the European Economic Area, you don’t need to take a British driving test, and you can drive on your international licence until you reach 70 years old. If you were 67 or older when you became a resident, you can drive on your EU licence for 3 years after that point.0 If you hold a foreign driver’s licence and are now a resident in the UK, you can drive for a period of 12-months with your current licence, but you will need to take and pass both your theory and practical drivers’ examination to continue driving in the UK. Once the 12-month period has elapsed, you can exchange your international driving licence for a UK licence without having to sit the DVSA test”.
So the obvious flaw in this is if the originating country has a training and testing regime less than the standard our UK set, then this can be argued part of the problem of driving skills on our roads, especially in larger towns, being seen to be in dimise. - The Attitude Problem
The rise in peoples aggression towards each other, either via motoring or just day to day integrations, is also observable by all of us. The level of entitlement displayed by some on our roads is breathtaking, from the “My cars better than yours so I own the road peasant” to “This is my private race track” to “Highway code? What’s that” to “both lanes are mine and mine alone going round this round about“.
Again I reiterate, that the demise in UK driving standards is not down to just one factor but contributed by some of all I have highlighted, maybe you know of more, so the solutions must be multi faceted also.
For Section 3 above I propose that Re-Testing be enforced by Police officers if the driver is found wanting in driving attitude, with video evidence and not just on the officers say so.
If you are made to re-test more than say 3 times in 5 years, then you are banned from driving for 5 years automatically and will require and update re-test certificate to rejoin the UK’s roads..
I also think in part that my solution proposal for section 3 might also fix part of the problem of the quality of drivers using an International licence.
But instead of Re-Testing they would be forced off the road until they have trained for and taken a UK full test. Regardless of vehicle.
These are just my observations and resolves but what do you think ?
Have you got any ideas of how to lift the driving experience of the majority up to a safer point and stop the demise?
I look forward to hearing from you via a reply or Contacting Me and I wish you safe journeys.
Kind regards
DC x
