RATED: Driving Tests of the World
Driving Tests of the World Rated
One of the very first things a person does when he comes of age is to get his/her driving licence as soon as possible. The difficulty of obtaining a driving licence varies from country to country. In some countries, getting a driving licence is a one-day process. You just have to go to the relevant office, apply for the licence and after some paperwork and a practical test, you walk away with a licence, but in some countries, it is harder than obtaining a master’s degree. Auto Express, a UK based car magazine, conducted a research to find out the different difficulty levels of obtaining the driving licence around the globe. The asked Ian McIntosh, the CEO of RED Driving School, to grade each country’s test. McIntosh said, “There are huge disparities in driving tests from country to country and it is shocking how standards vary.” He did not give any country five stars rating saying that “there’s always room for improvement.”
US DRIVING TEST
Legal Age: 14-21
RED Rating: 3/5
The political system in the America allows states to set their own laws for everything, which includes the laws of driving too. States such as Kansas and Idaho allows a teenager to legally drive as soon as he/she turns 14 years while some states do not let one drive until the age of 21. Despite, different age restrictions, all learners must are obligated to complete a six-month graduated licence programme before being allowed to drive on the roads accompanied by someone over the age of 21. The laws restrict certain privileges too during the 6-month period where the learner cannot carry passengers or cannot drive late at night.
UK DRIVING TEST
Legal Age: 17
RED Rating: 4/5
At the age of 16 you can apply for a provisional licence but you have to wait until the age of 17 to start taking driving lessons. A provisional licence allows you to drive accompanied by a driver who’s aged 21 or older with plates showing L on the car. After the age of 17, you start driving lessons and are required to pass a theory test. After passing the theory test, you have two years to learn driving and pass a practical test. You are issued a full driving licence after passing the practical test. 47% percent of the applicants pass the practical test and obtain a full licence every year.
MEXICO DRIVING TEST
Legal Age: 18
RED Rating: 1/5
Although, the age limit for getting a licence in Mexico is higher than that of UK but obtaining a licence here could not get easier than it already is. You can literally buy your right to drive in Mexico once you are 18 years or older without even passing any sort of test, that too legally. The licence costs 626 pesos which roughly is about 4700 Pakistani rupees. There are about four million cars on the road of Mexico City making it one of the most densely populated cities in the world. Couple that with no standardised licence test and you have a recipe for disaster.
COLOMBIA DRIVING TEST
Legal Age: 16
RED Rating: 4/5
In Colombia, once you are 16 years or older, you have to enrol in the Gradual Rearing of Adult Drivers (GRAD) programme. You will have to pass an exam that tests you on laws, road signs and safety rules, to get your learner’s licence. After obtaining the learner’s permit, you start your practical driving lessons. After 40 hours of training, you are eligible to take the test for the provisional licence. After driving on the provisional licence for six months, you can apply for a full licence with conditions. After the age of 21, you can apply for a full unconditional licence by giving a practical test, once you clear that test, you can have your licence.
FRANCE DRIVING TEST
Legal Age: 16
RED Rating: 4/5
Once you are 16 years old, you will need to register with a driving school and pass 20 hours of practical driving followed by a theory test to get behind the wheel in France. After passing this phase, you are issued a 3 year driving permit that allows you to drive with an adult. It also restricts you to 110 kmph on motorways. You will then have to drive at least 3,000 kilometres until you are 18 to be eligible for the practical exam for unconditional licence.
SOUTH AFRICA DRIVING TEST
Legal Age: 18
RED Rating: 2/5
In South Africa, you have to be at least 18 years old to take the yard test and road test. You lose points on the road test if you do not check the vehicle for leaks and for not using the hand brake when your car is stationary. This is important because if your car rolls back even an inch, you will fail the test automatically. The test is made intentionally hard to improve the safety and the pass rate is just 39 percent. Many learners do not go through the hassle and just bribe the officers to pass the test.
AUSTRALIA DRIVING TEST
Legal Age: 16
RED Rating: 3/5
The process of getting a licence in Australia is exhaustive. At the age of 16, you get a learner’s permit after which you get your probationary restrictive permit. You have to drive on the probationary permit for 2 years before taking a test for a full licence. New drivers have to log the number of hours spent with the instructors to ensure they have met the regulated umber of hours. Although the regulations are strict, but the accident rate is very high in Australia.
JAPAN DRIVING TEST
Legal Age: 18
RED Rating: 4/5
The driving test in Japan is one of the toughest and the strictest in the world. Only 1/3rd of the people pass the test. The test is taken on a simulated course that resembles real-world road conditions. During the test, you must remain under 30 kmph speeds at all times. You will fail instantly if you drive over a kerb, do not stop at a traffic light or intersection, or do not check for oncoming traffic. You can also fail if you do not stay far left in the lane or do no bend enough to check for cats and children under the car before you drive.
PAKISTAN DRIVING TEST
Legal Age: 18
RED Rating: 2/5
The Pakistani driving test is fairly simple. Once you are 18, you can apply for a Learner’s Licence. You can drive the car with an adult on Learner’s Licence with an ‘L’ displaying at the back of the vehicle. There are no rules on the number of hours on the Learner’s Licence. You just have to wait 45 days after getting the Learner’s Licence to be eligible for the permanent licence exam. The exam consists of a theory and a very short practical test. You can take both on the same day. The test is very easy and the passing rate is 80 percent, which becomes 100 percent when you include the corruption. The traffic laws are very lenient in Pakistan and many people drive without a valid licence in Pakistan.