Road & Transport Authority - Manal Khalid: From the start of 2011, the Licensing Agency of the Roads & Transport Authority (RTA) has launched a new technological service billed as 'Knowledge Test' intended to test the theoretical knowledge of applicants for driving licenses online. The new system, which will substitute the current regime, illustrates the vision of the Agency of a Safe Driver, Safe Vehicle and World-Class Services.
Commenting on the new service, the CEO of RTA Licensing Agency Ahmed Bahrozyan said: "We are constantly seeking to keep abreast of the best electronic technologies that reflect our efforts to keep pace with the newest developments in place. In the meantime, it has been our aspiration to upgrade the metrics that help better explore and assess the knowledge of driving license applicants about traffic regulations and road safety. The previous theoretical test comprised 10 questions all of which are related to road signals only. Therefore we have opted to add more questions raising the number of total questions to 35; some of which are related to traffic signals in order to explore the skills & traffic awareness of the applicant and how would he or she behave with the vehicle and cope with other road users in a way that reflects the applicant's eligibility and worthiness of obtaining a driving license, therefore we named this test the Knowledge Test.
Bahrozyan elaborated on the composition of the Test's questions saying: "The Test comprises 17 general questions about driving, and 18 other questions related to the type of the required license. To succeed, the applicant must get at least 11 correct answers in the general questions and at least 12 correct answers in the specific questions. This test is run over a touch screen in order to ensure the smooth movement or toggling between questions.
"The new service; which has been launched from the start of the current new year, is comprehensive as it is delivered in three main languages; Arabic, English and Urdu. We have also given consideration to those unable to read through providing them with audio-visual aids explaining to them the requirements of the theoretical test.
"The driving centers will prepare and deliver theoretical optional (not compulsory) lectures to interested driving license applicants before the scheduled time of the theoretical test; provided that the source of the training topic will be the training manuals approved by the Licensing Agency.
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© Press Release 2011
