Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Business
James Andrews

Petition to pass learner drivers banned from having a test passes 30,000 signatures

Driving instructors should be able to pass their students automatically while tests are banned, according to a petition signed by more than 30,000 people.

But while popular, it's certainly not an uncontroversial idea.

The petition reads: "Allow learner drivers to be passed if their driving instructors feels they are safe to drive due to the failure of the Government to enable learners to book a test.

"It is unfair on learners who have been unable to book a test due to the pandemic to have to wait a significantly long time to have access to booking one."

It's picked up more than 30,000 so far, with rules stating that it has to be debated in Parliament if it passes 100,000.

But some people think it could be a very bad idea. In fact, one person on Twitter even went as far as calling it "the worst one by far".

The petition has now passed 30,000 signatures (petition.parliament.uk)

An a lot of people agreed with them.

One wrote: "Hell of a difference being in a car with an instructor than being out on the road by yourself.

"Plenty of solid drivers fail their tests multiple times by making simple mistakes but mistakes that in the real world would get someone killed."

Another added: "I may be a learner driver sick of having things cancelled but I would never want to sign that. I know what other learner drivers are like.

"I don't even feel that safe to drive. I certainly don't want people to just get passed without a test."

Should you be able to drive unsupervised without a test? (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

But not everyone was against the idea.

One instructor commented: "Seriously though. I am a driving instructor and there needs to be a system in place to improve how this farce has played out.

"Not as simplistic as the above but a system where the learner has to log hours, signed by their instructor, detailing what they have covered.

"That way instead of people who are test ready having to wait months and months for tests the DVSA would be in a position to prioritise learners who are test ready rather than having people who have had 5 lessons and booked a test early clogging up the system."

Another person added: "I actually think this could be a shout, I've personally had 7 lessons, I've been driving for years and have had my test cancelled on 3 different occasions this year.

"I've been reassured many times by my instructor that I would pass 1st time."

If you agree, you can sign it yourself here.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.