Amending licensing system for Proper Driving Behaviour

Driver Licensing Systems

Despite dissimilarities among all driver licensing systems, they are based on a certain, albeit widely varying framework (comprising among other things: laws, regulations, administrative processes, a curricula and test procedures) that states the requirements for obtaining a license to operate a motor vehicle in road traffic

Categories of licensing systems: Traditional “single-phase licensing system” includes only one phase of theoretical and practical training that ends with a written and a driving test. This system is quite common in Belgium, Denmark, France and Netherlands. In other systems, probationary license systems are very similar to single phase systems but the candidate must complete a provisional phase of driving before becoming a fully licensed driver. Countries following this single phase system with probationary license include Germany, Austria, Norway and Sweden. The last general variant of traditional driver licensing is the two-phase system where candidate receives a provisional or probationary license after passing written and practical driving test which ends the first phase. This provisional license is valid for a certain period. After that, a full license is issued after completion of the second phase of theory and training, but without further testing. Finland and Luxembourg follow this kind of system.

Graduated Driver licensing systems: These systems include three stages which encompass “learner”, “provisional”, and “fully licensed”. These stages are aimed at ensuring that the driver will gain experience under conditions that are as safe as possible. First is the learner stage which ends when the applicant passes a driving test. Only supervised practice is allowed during this period. A minimum number of hours of such practice is often required, and the learner’s permit must be held for a certain length of time, and in some cases there are certain restrictions (e.g., learner license holder can’t carry other passengers or the learner is not permitted to use a cell phone while driving).

Next is the intermediate or provisional stage and it entails a period with a provisional license that is valid for a specified length of time during which unsupervised driving is permitted. This stage involves different driving restrictions such as night-time driving, peer-age passengers and/or alcohol and restraints regarding the presence of passengers in the vehicle. If the driver complies with the restrictions, he/she receives full license privileges as soon as the stipulated time period gets over, and thus, this is the last stage of the graduated licensing system, and no further tests are required.

Current Driving Licensing System in India

In India, issuing a license is considered officially a state matter. In each state, driving license is issued by Regional Transport Offices (RTOs). Unfortunately, prior driver education is not mandatory for getting a driver license. All matters related to driver education and licensing in India are presently regulated by Motor Vehicle Act 1988 and Central Motor Vehicles Rule 1989. Following are some of the glaring lacunas in these regulations.

• As per Sub-section (1) of Section-4 of Motor Vehicle Act 1988, a motor cycle with engine capacity not exceeding 50cc and without gear (provided parents/guardian’s consent is obtained) may be driven in a public place by a person after attaining the age of sixteen years. This is potentially hazardous as young drivers are more involved in crashes and two-wheeler drivers are among the vulnerable road users.
• As per Sub-section (3) of Section-8 of Motor Vehicle Act 1988, a self-declaration – medical certificate from a registered medical practitioner in case of a non-transport and transport vehicle respectively, is sufficient for the granting of learner’s license in India. If not declared with truthfulness, this could pose serious safety hazards in case the drivers have physical abnormalities in traffic.
• As per Sub-section (3) of Section-9 of Motor Vehicle Act 1988 where the application is for a driving license to drive a motor vehicle (not being a transport vehicle), the licensing authority may exempt the applicant from the test of competence to drive a vehicle prescribed under this sub-section if the applicant possesses a driving certificate issued by any institution recognised by the State Government. This also poses road safety risks as the driver is given the license merely on the basis of a certificate which may not have been issued after subjecting the individual to essential adequate training and education which is very much essential.
• Sub-section (3) of Section-15 of Central Motor Vehicles Rules 1989 lays down criteria of only practical driving test which focuses only on basic vehicle control and maneuvering capabilities. However, even these criteria are seldom followed by the person conducting the test.
• Section-31 of Central Motor Vehicles Rules 1989 elaborates the syllabus to be followed by driving schools for imparting theoretical instructions in the driving of motor vehicles. This includes only basic driving, traffic, and vehicle maintenance education which is seldom pursued by the driving schools in India. Also, no formal published material (based on the prescribed syllabus) is available to impart the driver education.

Above all, the present system in India is totally based on conventional driver education and testing which has serious limitations with respect to road safety as highlighted by Christie (2001).

Recommendations for Indian Conditions

Currently, India follows a single-phase licensing system with probationary period. Following are the preliminary recommendations for improving the road safety situation in India:

Licensing Age: The lowering of the learner licensing age limit is a good strategy for lowering the road traffic crashes since it facilitates more time for the novice drivers to learn safe driving. In India, two wheelers are involved more than any other vehicle in road crashes. Adding to that, while learner age for two wheeler vehicle (up to 50 cc i.e. moped) is 16, one can get full license at the age of 16 ½ i.e., within 180 days of getting a learner license. Considering the fact that the motorised two wheelers are the prime cause for road traffic injuries, the age limit for solo driving of two wheelers in India can be made 18.

The goal of the licensing process, including driver training, should be to create drivers who drive safe and are environmentally conscious and not just technically competent.

Experience: Curriculum should allow the learner drivers to get sufficient amount of practice so that they are better prepared to handle high risks.

Pre-licensing training: Sufficient amount of practice, at least 50 hours of pre licensing practice, should be made mandatory before embarking upon solo driving.

License Renewal: The first renewal age for licenses is 40 years in India. According to a study conducted in Guwahati, India, middle age group drivers fail the most in vision related physical tests for safe driving, yet after issuing license initially, they are never tested again. Hence, the renew period can be revised spanning a duration of 5-7 years.

Test according to Specifics of a driver: In India, the testing procedures are common for all the drivers. But, considering the heterogeneity of traffic situation in India, different tests based on the type of vehicle, age, etc., may be conducted.

National Licensing System: Previous researches have shown little effectiveness resulting from formal training practices, so changes in existing training and testing procedures should be considered. In any driving curriculum, the three elements (goals of driver education, content/method of education and testing procedures) should be in harmony with each other. It is also considered meaningful to borrow some trends and contents from international driving education and licensing system. Some of them are summarised below:

• Mandatory physical tests to assess various physiological characteristics of the driver which are important for safe driving
• Compulsory and formal driver education (possibly based on GDE) as part of the licensing process
• Graduated driver licensing system
• Mandatory formal and informal practice before licensing
• Involvement of Hazard Perception test in license test
• Restriction gradually removed from probationary license
• Absence of any corruption in licensing system.

(This is a shorter version of a technical paper that was published in Current Science. The authors have written this version specially for TrafficInfraTech).

Ashish Verma
Assistant Professor (Dept. of Civil Engineering)

and Associate Faculty [Centre for infrastructure,

Sustainable Transportation, and Urban Planning (CiSTUP),

Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore

S Velumurugan
Scientist
Traffic Engineering and Safety Division

Central Road Research Institute (C.R.R.I.),

New Delhi

Neelima Chakrabarty
Scientist
Traffic Engineering and Safety Division

Central Road Research Institute (C.R.R.I.),

New Delhi