Driving licence pass rates plummet
The success rate for passing the new restricted licence test has been halved.After nine weeks under the harder tests, nearly 9000 tests have been conducted and the overall pass rate is 41 per cent.It was 80 per cent under the old system.NZTA spokesman Andy Knackstedt said learner drivers will have to put in a lot of practice to pass, and will need to appreciate the test is a lot harder."More practice and preparation is needed for people sitting the test, and that's our clear message to learner drivers, that this test is more challenging."We fully expect that with a more challenging test that the pass rate will drop. We also expect that gradually, over time, as that message filters through that more preparation and practice is needed, it will begin to rise.''Andy Knackstedt said learner drivers need to have 120 hours' practice under their belt before sitting the test.
Every single time someone has to sit this test it costs another $86.00.
I know of someone who failed recently. The instructor failed this person because he did not indicate while passing parked vehicles on an unmarked residential road.
If everyone indicated every time we drove past a parked car - our indicators would be on 99% of the time.
The instructor did not even give the person who took the test a clear reason of exactly what he did wrong. He just said something about not indicating while passing parked cars and they then returned to the testing centre. His writing on the form that was supposed to explain why this person had failed - was illegible.
This person had to immediately fork out another $86.00 and had to wait another 8 weeks to resit the test.
I have been a passenger while this person has been driving and his driving was faultless.
A 41% pass rate is nothing more than revenue collection.
Pretty unbelievable that they can get away with this really.
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3 comments:
A Press reporter had a driving test recently for a story. During the test, the examiner told him he would have been fined $150 for "failing to indicate while merging from 2 lanes to one." I was unaware of such a rule, so checked with the latest Road Code. Sure enough there is no such rule (only a rule for merging when there is a right turn also involved). So what is it with these examiners - do they think they are Gods?
If you are failed for some random or non-documented reason, should you be able to claim costs from the small claims court against the testing agency? I think I would give it a go, if only to get my $86 back.
I think that might be the exact same thing that the person that i know was failed on. He was driving down a residential road. When approaching the parked cars he steered the car to the right into the middle of the road in order to pass the park cars - and did not indicate while doing that.
If he had indicated though - anyone behind him would have thought he was turning into a driveway and would have dangerously attempted to pass on the left.
We also searched the road code and could find no such rule re indicating when passing parked cars.
Still - $86 dollars down no valid reason why he failed.
Other people about to take this test should be wary of this little trick of theirs.
Another one - which my friend did not fall for - is the instructor tells the driver to pull over into a bus stop - and when he does - FAIL.
Seems to me that if you are just doing what the instructor tells you to do then they can hardly fail you. The instructor actually pointed to where he wanted the driver to pull over.
Our country is just going to end up with thousands of people driving illegally on their learners forever - it could get that frustrating.
We should get a list of their tricks on the net in order to warn people about to take the test.
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