Roads & Transport Authority - Yahya Khalid: Roads & Transport Authority (RTA) announced that it will soon unveil comprehensive systems to develop Drivers Qualifying & Licensing Directories in the emirate of Dubai. The project is being modeled after the best global practices applicable in this field, with a view to achieve highest traffic safety standards & contribute to easing traffic congestion in the emirate of Dubai.
Through this project RTA is aiming to overhaul the currently existing systems of Drivers Qualifying & Licensing system, identify the practical difficulties, assess the applicable legislations & draft new ones to match the latest methods & procedures, and improve the quality of vehicle driving through applying the latest and best practices worldwide.
Engineer Maitha bin Adai, CEO of Traffic & Roads Agency, said that the project principally aim to work out a mechanism for drivers training and testing procedures, as well as promoting traffic awareness & culture among those seeking to obtain auto driving licenses. It also seeks to upgrade procedures, systems and methods of licensing drivers such that they will cover engineering, educational, environmental and health aspects.
"The project is comprised of five key stages that cover studying and evaluating the prevailing procedures in the emirate of Dubai with regard to qualifying & licensing of drivers in all technical, operational and legislative aspects. This is planned to be carried out through conducting studies, field visits, and workshops. It also includes inviting administrative & technical staff of model institutes & strategic partners to take part in the project so as to identify shortcomings & gaps in the procedures of theoretical (internal) training, practical training, and drivers licensing, as well as studying & analyzing traffic accidents made by new drivers and provides breakdown in terms of nationality, age and all related circumstances" she said.
The project includes reviewing studying the optimum global practices in the field of drivers qualifying and licensing in accordance with a specific set of perimeters endorsed by the RTA tailored to match the nature of Dubai emirate. Following assessment and analysis of systems applicable in a number of countries in this field, three systems from Australia, Canada & Swede have been endorsed as model case studies.
The whole project is concerned with preparing & developing syllabuses of training & qualifying drivers as well as providing them with information on patterns of learning driving, driving & traffic rules, and methods of safe driving. It also provides them with information related to methods of obtaining driving licenses for all sorts of vehicles such as motor bikes, light vehicles, heavy vehicles, and light & heavy machinery.
The project encompasses preparing two directories; one for inspector and the other for instructor of all types of vehicles. These directories cover methods, means and standards of testing, methods of dealing with the public in terms of data communication, methodology of training on all types of vehicles, driving & traffic rules, and methods of driving under various weather conditions.
The project stipulates a number of conditions and personal characteristics that have to be applicable to the instructor such as good behavior & conduct, age not less than 25 years, driving license issued from the UAE three years earlier and for the same type of vehicle on which the instructor will conduct training, and having the instructor qualified by the institute in which he will act as instructor till such a time he passes instructors test prepared by Licensing Dep't. Other conditions include holding at least a secondary school certificate or equivalent, clearing the medical test of health fitness, and maintaining an accident & offence free file. Additionally the institute shall comply with any stipulations made by Licensing Dep't.
The project includes proposing conceptual design options of Testing Centers consisting of an internal inspection yard, and a main building comprising of a reception hall, waiting room and other necessary facilities. It also includes a proposal for revising legislative structures to bring them in line with the new procedures. The fifth & final stage provides for starting experiments of systems suggested for the year 2008 to ensure their effectiveness.
Engineer Maitha pointed to a number of findings provided for in the project such as the importance of conducting a theoretical test and focusing on the depth of students' knowledge of traffic safety and driving & traffic rules so as to ensure that they realize the involved risks. Training & testing motor bikes will be fitted with systems that will produce printouts of reports showing the ability of the student to drive and control the motor bike.
The project proposes introducing a training & inspection regime for driving heavy trucks as well as trucks with trailer in order to complement the suitable training for heavy vehicle drivers at the associated driving category to ensure their compliance with driving & traffic rules, and protects them from committing offences or causing serious traffic accidents.
-Ends-
© Press Release 2007
