Dubai: Driving tests will soon be conducted on certain defined road routes to ensure that each candidate is tested in similar driving conditions, said a senior official.
The move comes after several driving students complained that they were not tested properly or not given enough time to drive during the road tests by the Roads and Transport Authority examiners.
Radio 2: RTA Licensing Agency CEO Ahmed Behroozian on what to do if you fail your Dubai driving test 5 times
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"We want everyone to be tested fairly and properly, and everyone should get enough time to drive to test his skills during the driving tests," said Ahmad Hashim Behroozian, Chief Executive Officer of the RTA Licensing Agency.
He told Gulf News that the Agency would define at least three routes for every driving institute in Dubai.
"Every candidate will be required to drive on the defined routes which cover different traffic scenarios necessary to test skills of a driver during the examination," he added.
Radio 2: Driving Tests will be streamlined after complaints from candidates
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Driving institutes will also be allowed to train their students on defined routes.
Behroozian said that they have already started a pilot project with one of the institutes and would soon formally enforce the new system in all the driving institutes in Dubai.
Appointments
Commenting on the students' complaints on failing tests and putting the blame on the RTA examiners, he said: "Examiners will not pass a candidate until he is fully capable of driving on the road even if he fails 100 times because we don't want unskilled drivers on roads," he made it clear.
He rejected complaints that the RTA examiners were biased and deliberately fail candidates.
"Why should they do this and candidates are welcome to file [a] complaint against such examiners if they feel that they were treated unfairly during examination," he said.
Behroozian said the Licensing Agency has introduced a number of changes in the testing system and is further upgrading the examination system to facilitate the candidates.
"We will soon start appointment system so that candidates come to the driving school for examination at fixed times," he said.
Currently, all candidates are called in the morning on the day of the examination and wait for hours. "Once the new appointment system is in place, examiners will have to give proper testing time to each candidate because they will be able to test candidates according to their appointment time only," he said.
Concerns will be reviewed
"Candidates have the right to complain against their trainers and the examiners if they are not satisfied," said Ahmad Hashim Behroozian, Chief Executive Officer of the RTA Licensing Agency.
He said that the candidates can contact and file complaints at the Licensing Agency office at the driving schools. The candidates can also call the RTA's customer service number 800-9090 to file their complaint. "We do investigate complaints seriously and take appropriate action," he said.
Behroozian said that any candidate who fails at least five times can also go to the appeal committee.
"The committee investigates the problem and also a new test is conducted by a team of examiners or a senior examiner."
