Bad drivers targeted

24th June 2007

Robert Gifford, director of the Parlia­mentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (PACTS), which advises the Gov­ernment, said the current system fails to root out drivers prone to rule-breaking.

He wants a test in which drivers are assessed on whether they take risks. Gif­ford explained: “We would ask: ‘At what speed would you anticipate travelling down this road?’ or ‘Have you ever left traffic lights while they were red?’.” L-drivers could then receive train­ing from examiners to modify their behaviour.

Derbyshire-based motorist training company Peak Performance already uses psychological assessments, and its boss, James Sutherland, said: “They get inside the mind of the driver and identify beha­viour most likely to place them at risk.” A Department for Transport spokesman told us: “The Driving Standards Agency is conducting a review of testing and training, and when ministers have had a chance to look at that, the proposals will be put out to consultation.”