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Jun 5, 2010
Realistic, robust driver training system in place
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I REFER to the letter by Mr John Lee, 'Driver training: One exception to nation's excellence' (May 25).
The current system in Singapore equips learner drivers with both theory and practical driving competencies, including the importance of road safety. Upon passing the practical driving test, new drivers are additionally required to go through an educational video show on road safety.
Various driving scenarios are in fact covered in both theory and practical training. For example, learner drivers have to learn to drive through ramps and to execute turns, which would equip them with skills to manoeuvre through challenging situations, such as multi- storey carparks. They will also experience filtering into a roundabout, which involves entering, exiting a junction and exercising lane discipline.
These are the skills which all learner drivers are required to learn and pass the driving test. Like New Zealand and Australia, skid pan training is not taught as part of basic training for new drivers.
Currently, we do not allow learner drivers to drive on expressways because of safety considerations. The practice is the same in many countries. However, the driving schools do offer familiarisation courses to newly qualified drivers to let them experience driving on the expressways and in the tunnels. Traffic Police is working with the driving schools to see how it can reach out to more new drivers and encourage them to take up these courses.
Traffic Police also works closely with driving schools to regularly review the system to improve the curriculum for driving education, for example, by studying best practices overseas. Two recent noteworthy changes involved the removal of parking poles to make training in parking more realistic and the inclusion of a defensive riding theory module for learner riders to inculcate in them a stronger safety mindset.
Mr Lee suggested that we allow licensed drivers to accompany learner drivers to impart their practical experience. This method of instruction was stopped in 1999 as we had assessed that a higher standard of coaching by qualified driving instructors would produce better drivers. This is the same approach adopted in other jurisdictions such as Japan and Hong Kong.
We thank Mr Lee for the feedback and assure him that while not all scenarios can be covered, Traffic Police will continue to work closely with the driving schools to make the practical training as relevant and realistic as possible.
DSP Paul Tay
Assistant Director, Media Relations
Public Affairs Department
Singapore Police Force
Realistic, robust driver training system in place
<!-- by line --><!-- end by line -->
<!-- end left side bar --><!-- story content : start -->
I REFER to the letter by Mr John Lee, 'Driver training: One exception to nation's excellence' (May 25).
The current system in Singapore equips learner drivers with both theory and practical driving competencies, including the importance of road safety. Upon passing the practical driving test, new drivers are additionally required to go through an educational video show on road safety.
Various driving scenarios are in fact covered in both theory and practical training. For example, learner drivers have to learn to drive through ramps and to execute turns, which would equip them with skills to manoeuvre through challenging situations, such as multi- storey carparks. They will also experience filtering into a roundabout, which involves entering, exiting a junction and exercising lane discipline.
These are the skills which all learner drivers are required to learn and pass the driving test. Like New Zealand and Australia, skid pan training is not taught as part of basic training for new drivers.
Currently, we do not allow learner drivers to drive on expressways because of safety considerations. The practice is the same in many countries. However, the driving schools do offer familiarisation courses to newly qualified drivers to let them experience driving on the expressways and in the tunnels. Traffic Police is working with the driving schools to see how it can reach out to more new drivers and encourage them to take up these courses.
Traffic Police also works closely with driving schools to regularly review the system to improve the curriculum for driving education, for example, by studying best practices overseas. Two recent noteworthy changes involved the removal of parking poles to make training in parking more realistic and the inclusion of a defensive riding theory module for learner riders to inculcate in them a stronger safety mindset.
Mr Lee suggested that we allow licensed drivers to accompany learner drivers to impart their practical experience. This method of instruction was stopped in 1999 as we had assessed that a higher standard of coaching by qualified driving instructors would produce better drivers. This is the same approach adopted in other jurisdictions such as Japan and Hong Kong.
We thank Mr Lee for the feedback and assure him that while not all scenarios can be covered, Traffic Police will continue to work closely with the driving schools to make the practical training as relevant and realistic as possible.
DSP Paul Tay
Assistant Director, Media Relations
Public Affairs Department
Singapore Police Force
