Positions

As of 2008, the driving test in the Netherlands will be changed; this was announced by the Dutch Driving Test Organisation CBR on 25th September. More attention will be given to traffic insight, self-reliant driving, driving in a traffic-jam, and hazard perception. SWOV finds these changes a step in the right direction. However, SWOV still sees many additional possibilities for further improvement of the driver training, thus reducing the crash risk for young novice drivers. SWOV especially regrets there being no mention of extra testing moments during the driving course, as CBR originally proposed.

The ideal situation for novice drivers would be to have not only experienced hazard perception and traffic insight during the driving lessons and by taking the theoretical test, but also through having gained actual driving experience. To achieve this, the driving course should include an experience module. This is possible with a graduated driving licence system in which novice drivers gain the necessary experience under the protected circumstances of accompanied driving and not driving under circumstances that are particularly dangerous for novice drivers.