Minister confirms high driving tests failure rate

Anthony Spiteri

Oct 9th 2009, 21:27

@ Joseph Fsadni - Prosit. Ilqatt il-musmar fuq rasu. Nixtieq nistaqsi x'inhu mehtieg biex tkun ikklassifikat tajjeb biex tghallem is-sewqan ? Xbajt ( issa kull hin ) inhabbat wicci ma' instructors stupidi. Kieku l-instructors kollha kellhom jitilghu ghat-test, ikunu ftit biss minnhom li jghaddu.

Anthony Debono

Oct 9th 2009, 21:14

@A Bezzina
You already stated it and I replied to you.

I compare a car to a knife. Is a knife dangerous? No if used properly and for what it's intended.
But misuse it and it can injure or maim.
A car, if driven properly is a useful tool. The rules to driving a car are the Highway Code. You break those rules = misusing the car = chances of causing an accident.

The road in front of the driver is a continuous challenge in the sense that, although one may know the road, one would not know the outcome in next few metres. That's why we have safety features in our cars. If you were guaranteed by the Almighty that nothing is going to hit or harm you, probably you would not wear the seat belts, or maybe you remove the doors for fresh air. The safety features of the car and the imposition of rules are there to protect not only the drivers, but whoever there may be in the street.

The onus is on the driver. Better fail the test and re-pay than paying for damages, no?

Mark Cushcieri

Oct 9th 2009, 20:41

come on ..we all know when this saga started...first they asked for more money the goverment didn't cave in..so now they are increasing their profits this way.. i still remember the case when it all started.

A Bezzina

Oct 9th 2009, 13:53

This is another cash cow. A girl last week failed the test because the on eway sign in a street was covered by foliage. What next, are we supposed to know every street in Malta. This should have been a problem for the council. As it is the poor girl will have to pay another amount to the horrendous sum she has already paid to try again.

G. Fenech

Oct 9th 2009, 11:21

So lets get this straight. We pay ridiculous money for road tax on our "old and polluting" cars, we pay importation tax on any vehicle from the EU (in spite of all of us knowing that its a rip off), these people trying to get their licences are failed time after time and have to pay the full amount every resit...

and yet

WE STILL HAVE UTTER CRAP ROADS AND PUBLIC TRANSPORT?

When is anyone at ADT ever going to be held accountable for where the money is going?

Better yet, when will the government ever show the true financial situation that we are in?

Why is it that its always the little guy that gets punished, yet 16 yr old kids driving BMW's are common knowledge... as their father can make a call and get it hushed if anything happens.

we're all up shit creek with just one paddle!

P. Aquilina

Oct 8th 2009, 16:21

There is another rachet going on in the ADT to Fail as many as possible. My Daughter failed the test because when he apporached a Zebra crossing at Hamrun in front of the Police Station , a Man was eating a snack some ditance away from the Zebra crossing with no intention to cross .
The ADT Examiner who by the way was a WOMEN said did not see that Man who was about to cross. My daughter told Her that he was no where near the crossing and She fialed her.
My daughter told me that IF I was to take the Exam today I would not pass the way the Exam is conducted. And why must the full ammount be paid to re-sit the exam . This Goverment is really one Big Tax Sucking Leech. ADT brush up your ACT
ADT br

Daniela C

Oct 8th 2009, 13:20

It's a total rip-off. I passed the test the fourth time round and there was no real reason to fail me the first 3 times or to pass me the 4th time... It's pure co-incidental good and bad luck when it comes to ADT. It's just a horrible expensive experience most have to pass through, and after a year on the roads I can now say that it is also quite irrelevant.

T Farrugia

Oct 8th 2009, 11:57

most of the people agrreing with the hard test are probably the ones who got their driver's licence when it was still "easy". I got my licence 3 years ago and it took me 3 tries. They always look for the slightest excuse to fail you. Even the time I passed I noticed that during the final minutes the tester was ticking the mistakes box a few times as if trying to fail me in the end!!!!! To "perfect drivers" like Charles Osbourne I suggest you go take the test and you will find your driving is not that perfect neither!!!!

JP.Caruana

Oct 8th 2009, 11:50

I wish to know from the 8,125 that passed the driving test , took the test for the first time.

louis zammit

Oct 8th 2009, 09:45

Thast a WELCOME NEWS...less people driving and less cars...but its not fair on the YOUNGER generation....i think the POLICE and the WARDENS should be out there to get and give TICKETS to all of us not DRIVING according to the RGULATIONS of today..no pity if i am 40 or 50 or 60 or 70 years ols..rules are there to be obeyed and all of us have to be keep updated ..many have no idea about roundabouts .stoping wherever one wants.no idicators.no lights etc etc...why not have a TV programme about driving lessons to all ....

C Cassar

Oct 8th 2009, 09:36

@ Paul Xuereb

I assume you'll be handing in your car keys at the gate.

One less driver, one less car.

Chrissy Borg

Oct 8th 2009, 09:10

I have been taking lessons for about a year now. All my friends' reasons for failing are absolutely ridiculous! And I heard a rumor coming from various people that if it is the first time that you take the test it is most likely that you will fail as the instructors rarely pass someone taking the test for the first time...

Shawn Xuereb

Oct 8th 2009, 09:07

Many student don't know that the driving test really costs €23 from ADT. Therefore, when most of the instructors ask for €70 or even €80 for each test, more than €50 are for them!! I think that is a HUGE rip-off for using their car for an hour, while a normal 1hour lesson costs approx. €12. Just imagine undergoing the test 5 or 6 times (like most of the drivers I know) - that adds up to over €400 just for the tests!!!! Why doesn't anyone check these things??

I already failed the test twice, after which I changed my instructor, who I found out didn't tell me half the things I really needed to do to pass the test. For my first test it was fairly my fault, I only got 9 mistakes but 1 was G because I didn't notice the zebra crossings in my excitement. Then for my second test, I found myself with an examiner who looked like he's playing bingo - marking all the time, not even looking at the road - 33 mistakes & 4 G - ok, that's a big difference, and I drove better this time! funny isn't it

Joe E. Galea

Oct 8th 2009, 08:17

If it wasn't so ADT and the driving instructors wouldn't make as much easy cash as they are doing now by ripping off these people.

I have a suggestion for those who are going for the test. Take a recorder and record all the driving test, you will have a proof of your supposed failure. Post them online on any website possible and uncover these bad practices.

Alexander Brincat

Oct 8th 2009, 07:09

This country is full of driving instructors who make the most to increase their revenues by prolonging the time that studends spend before the wheel of the schools' cars. This is wrong and can be considered to be unfair and ultimately illegal. When you make (induce to believe) a student to pay money over a time which is considered unreasonable in terms of the period which can bee seen as required to learn a car, then that can be considered as a concerted effort by instructors to defraud students, on a national scale. Yes, i make the accusation against thye majority of instructors. Just because they do not teach reasonably well does not give them the right to extend driving lessons over many months.

Just to make a comparison, it takes 45 hours to get a private pilot's license, and that includes navigation skills! Actually, it takes only about 15 to 20 hours to learn to make a simple takeoff and landing with a single engine plane. Many students in Malta do much much more than 20 hours to learn a car. A real shame on the system.

w.scicluna

Oct 7th 2009, 23:46

To those people who need a license for basic transportation...do yourself a favor and get a motorcycle. The test from experience is easy and you will never be frustrated and stuck in traffic :)

Alex Tanti

Oct 7th 2009, 22:19

Sultans of Swings.....

When are local politicians and head of departments going to become more effective efficiently??!!

What is the use of all these figures and data, when nothing seems to be rectified....

Could every political statement/PQ include the suggested remedial action to follow, maybe?

shaun mccarthy

Oct 7th 2009, 21:52

Depending how you look at it , I have been fortunate to drive in most continents in the world .It is my opinion that the driving standards in Malta are the worst I have encountered , including what are officially regarded as backward and third rate countries .Most drivers in Malta are simply 'brain dead ' with no basic idea how to control or use their vehicle .Just observe them trying to park in an area large enough for a double decker bus . The right arm hanging out the window.what a joke .Cars have NO indicators - painted lines and markings on the road are only there to decorate them-no one has a clue about what to do and are mostly hoping that the next guy will stop or take action .If the police and wardens were instructed to crackdown on driving abuse I am sure on a small island like this it would be changed for the better very quickly .Look at how aggressive speeding drivers suddenly become 'alter boys' when approaching a speed camara .Did you ever see a policeman on the Coast Road? Sorry another joke .

Alison Natalie Keeler

Oct 7th 2009, 20:34

What an expensive learning curve for over half of the driving students (and their parents)...

Will the minister or anyone else for that matter, be considering whether the standards of driving tuition need uphauling?

I had a friend who had passed her test in Gozo and some eight months later had still not driven between one village and the harbour. Which made me think, for an hour's lesson at a time, on a tiny island, where had the driving taken place? And why was she, by her own admission, not confident about certain rules and procedures...

Are there regular checks on the instructors or is it that the demand for driving lessons exceeds supply and full, quality tuition is now being compromised.

Madaline Grant

Oct 7th 2009, 20:23

I am English and live in Gozo, oh before i start i am not a whinging pomm or maoning as you Maltese nicknamed us lately, anyhow i was told it would cost me 8€ per.hr. in Gozo, but unfortunitly most just cannot even speak English, and with all these nutters on the Gozitan roads i don't think i'll bother, i just get a white taxi and die in confort as they too drive like blinking meniacs.

JOSEPH FSADNI

Oct 7th 2009, 20:06

THE INSTRUCTORS NEED TO LEARN HOW TO DRIVE FIRST THEN WE MIGHT HAVE SOME DECENT DRIVERS.

Frank Haines

Oct 7th 2009, 19:39

All i can say is WHEN WILL THEY EVER LEARN TO FALL IN LINE WITH OTHER COUNTRIES AND TOUGHEN UP ON THE DRIVING TEST AND THE THEORY, and on this point book anyone using a mobile or driving with just one hand on the steering wheel its ridiculous never seen nothing like it until i arrived here.

Josef Esteva'@visiter

Oct 7th 2009, 19:35

I agree with retake the driving test as someone mentioned below, i live in nGozo and some of the drivers there especially the women are atrocious, the are fast drivers and tend to drive in the middle overe the white line Why? only God knows, in my country wee have a new law that if a driver is booked for more then 3 times in a year *****listen carefully he or she would need to retake a driving test, now this could be applied on the islands as lets face it for a small island the number of accidents and fatal accidnrts exceeds the max. limit. So i say anyone with a slow reflexes or so many booking in a period of 12 months should be made to RETAKE A DRIVING TEST!!!!!!!!! but as the say this is Malta and anything goes.

Anthony Debono

Oct 7th 2009, 19:03

@A Bezzina
"A friend of my daughter's did not pass her test last week because she did not see a one way sign which was covered by tree branches"

Yes you are right. There are quite a number of signs that are covered by trees, etc.
But I still reiterate that a driver has to read the road. If you do not know the road, you have to be even more careful. Imagine if your daughter's friend drove wrong way and hit YOU or a child crossing the road. What would you say?

When one goes overland, to an unknown place, one would normally prepare the route, or maybe make use of a GPS. Get my point?

Another example? Many roundabouts have lost their identity and have become gardens in such a way that you cannot see opposite the roundabout whether cars are coming. Doesn't that mean that you should proceed even with more caution?

So, personally, the examiner took the right decision.

Mario Cachia

Oct 7th 2009, 18:00

For all those who have no idea what the drinving test is all about because they got the driving license doing a merry go round around a few tanks please do not comment since you're totally ignorant on the subject.

First of all it has become extremely expensive learning how to drive a car.... and even if you know how to drive instructors wont get you to do your test until they have drained your money. I can say that only frw instructers are genuine a nd I know one.

Also when people are subjected to a test they are failing for ridiculous reasons! Or even for a mistake which the tester invented and one cannot contest of course! A number of people complained of a foreign driving tester, and yes he is nasty, and the minister should take action.

I can confirm from experience that some (not all of course) who fail, are as capable as any others.

The problem in Malta is the way we drive. We should have wardens fine drivers who for example drive at high speeds at roundabouts or those who keep going on a roundabout while a car is turning!

Galea. L

Oct 7th 2009, 17:00

Charles Osbourne
You're wrong mate. It is an operation to continue to empty the pockets of the learners for the benefit of both the instructors and the ADT. You also contradict yourself because if you are a driver you have passed the test and got your license. Paiiz tal-Mickey Mouse.

A Bezzina

Oct 7th 2009, 16:46

A friend of my daughter's did not pass her test last week because she did not see a one way sign which was covered by tree branches. How cool is that/ This business is a government spinning machine and nothing else.

A. Zahra

Oct 7th 2009, 16:26

The usual gemgem. It is not the students who are not up to mark. No its the teachers and the examiners who are below standard!

Anthony Debono

Oct 7th 2009, 15:43

"it may not be a bad idea to re-test some of them" (D Vella)

Actually, that is one of a whole list of suggestions. To be exact:
It's called re-certification and it should be applied to ALL license holders. One can never say that s/he knows how to drive. One is bombarded with a myriad of driving scenarios throughout one's driving lifetime. As well, rules, standard practices etc are all the time evolving. And yet we remain with the license that we got years ago.

To give another example, when we certify ourselves academically in some field, there's the requirement that one has to perform a CPE (continuous professional education) to retain one's achievement.

So why not with driving licence? And here we're talking about human transportation not something technical. We're talking on one's ability to take care of oneself while driving, the responsibility of passengers and the public.

Passing the driving test is only a legal go-ahead that one may start driving a vehicle. It does not mean that one knows how to drive. Far from it.

michael fenech

Oct 7th 2009, 15:39

Can we do anything right in this country??????????????

Joseph Tabone

Oct 7th 2009, 15:26

I suggest that the whole system is audited, i.e. from preparation to assessment, so that any inconsistencies in the standard, abuses and injustices may be rectified. The amount of money spend by aspiring drivers on driving instruction and testing is ridiculous, especially when one considers that the average driving instruction fee is €15 per hour and the assessment fee is €70 each time one takes the test, whilst there aren't any means of contesting the assessor's decision. This may be seen as an organised injustice by many who are told that they are good drivers by the Driving Instrcutor yet they need to take the test a number of times, each time failing for ridiculous excuses.

B Zammit

Oct 7th 2009, 14:51

On the same ADT subject.

A few weeks ago someone commented that a so called parker will soon move into the new car park next to the Roman Villa. Well it happend ..... a so called parker is asking for money for parking on public land ... when he has no right to. get your act together ADT!

e spiteri

Oct 7th 2009, 14:46

my wife starts driving lessons two years ago and still without licence. she drives from north to south of malta without ant trouble but the learner still tell her that she is not good enough.somethimes the lady learner even ask her what car make and colour behind them before they had turned a roundabout.

E Gatt

Oct 7th 2009, 14:41

I think everyone agrees that the standard of driving in Malta is, well, below standard. This is the main reason why we have so many unnecessary accidents.

Before the new driving tests were introduced, the pass rate was high and the test itself was dangerously too basic.

In some other countries, an optional ‘Advanced driving test’ was introduced for existing drivers. Apart from improving and updating their skills, holders of such licences get reductions in their car insurance premium. ( see UK’s http://www.yourdrivinglicence.co.uk/advanced-driving-tests.html )

I have a (basic) driving licence but would consider an ‘Advanced driving test’ is this was available.

mario Genovese

Oct 7th 2009, 14:27

Ridiculous!!! if you hear the reasons of why they fail!!!! Seems like they are testing them to pilot an aircraft instead.

R.Aquilina

Oct 7th 2009, 13:38

Kullhadd jaf x'spiza saret biex iggib licenzja u qisu hadd ma jaghti kas. Donnu hemm sistema maqbula biex jiehdu kemm jistghu flus minn fuq dar iz-zaghzagh u l-familji taghhom. Sur Ministru ftakar li int u il-partit tieghek hiereg ghall-elezzjoni u mhux l-ufficjali ta' l-ADT. Hafna zaghzagh spiccaw vitma ta' forma gdida ta' uzura li int bhal Ministru tal-poplu suppost qieghed tharsina minnha. Tal-misthija.

DVella

Oct 7th 2009, 13:21

Given the number of lousy drivers (already WITH a licence) on our road and the blatant ignorance and disregarding of our laws, traffic regulations or even common manners and courtesy towards others, it may not be a bad idea to re-test some of them . . . !

P.Pulis

Oct 7th 2009, 13:18

How about failing the driving instructor (withholding his instructor licence),if a certain percentage of his students fail the test within a specified period of time.

Anthony Debono

Oct 7th 2009, 13:16

@Paul Xuereb
"Less drivers, less cars!"

Not necessarily so.

Are you requested a driving licence when buying a new or second hand car?
If not, then one can still have no driving licence and buys a car - to drive it, obviously.
One can also drive another person's car. Who's stopping that, bar the owner of the car?

So I conclude that there will be a rise of people driving on our roads WITHOUT a driving license.

Last summer, while returning home late at night (circa 11:30pm) I was stopped in two occasions (police road block) at the Coast Road. All they asked for is to present the driving license and who the owner of the car is.

I hate being caught in road blocks yet I agree in having them, though a nuisance to many for the time being wasted. Even more, they should be tougher, e.g. physically check for illicit drugs, strange cargo, checks (via computer) car registration owner vs driver, breathalyser if need be, VRT related issues, persons travelling. If one believes that he is innocent, then one need not worry of road blocks

T. Ssammut

Oct 7th 2009, 12:52

With such a high failure there could only be two thing, either instructors are incopetent to do there job or it is a milking cow.

M Pace

Oct 7th 2009, 12:51

High driving tests failure and all these accidents! There must be someting seriously wrong!

Paul Xuereb

Oct 7th 2009, 11:47

Good! Less drivers, less cars!

J Farrugia

Oct 7th 2009, 11:45

It's a shame that such a number of failures. It means that those who are giving driving lessons do not know what their trade entails. They are not delivering. This is fast becoming a SCAM. Either these driving schools are robbing their students and living off their money, or else those examining these learners are not up to standard. At any rate this is fast becoming another ADT scam. Let's have another proper reform of this ADT test.

Charles Osbourne

Oct 7th 2009, 11:23

This is 1 in 2 failed the driving test, this shows how incompetent some drivers are in Malta and Gozo. Its a terrible result, A tougher test however is a move in the right direction. Well done to the examiners. As a foreigner residing in Gozo, i find that these islands apart from Sicily have the worse drivers in europe. Its a sort of All for me and none for you sort of attiude or i'm alright Jack sod you mate no courtecy to other road users. Keep it up D.Test examiners its the only way to save unnecessary deaths.

t. borg

Oct 7th 2009, 11:03

more than half failed!!! we should start importing driving instructors as it seems that there is something wrong. many are spending lot of money just to learn to drive a car. the minister should investigate why many are failing the test. maybe the maltese are slow learners. i advise those who failed to go abroad and get the licence from there. what a banana country!!

jbusuttil

Oct 7th 2009, 11:02

One person that I know has gone for the test four times and these were for stupid mistakes that all the drivers in Malta do on a daily bases. Such as stopping on a stop sign but not close enough. I am afraid that on the roads we are having drivers who do not hold a licence and God help them if they are involved in a fatal accident. I agree that all new licence holders should be well trained before going freely on our roads but tests should be harder on the basics. I hope it is not a money making process if not already.

Lawrence Gauci

Oct 7th 2009, 11:00

That's close to 55% failure rate. Isn't this shocking percentage keeping the ADT management and Minister awake at night knowing the all those people are failing their tests!! This means that instructors are incompetent to teach and are getting richer and richer every day for their incompetence. What's even more shocking is that these instructors do not give a fiscal receipt for their lessons. Daylight robbery!!! The ADT as usual is not competent in safeguarding the public and it's customers..

Frans H Said

Oct 7th 2009, 10:43

6,261 cars failed the VRT test! Can the Editor confirm that this figure is correct? To me it should probably be 16,261, or even 26,261 when seeing so many faulty cars which are a danger to life and limb

D. Delicata

Oct 7th 2009, 10:35

Jin ijli niprovva biex nghaddi mit-test minn bidu ta' mejju 2009, imbad tlajt fl-ahhar ta gunju, imbad fil-bidu ta awwissu u tlajt gimgha ijlu u ghandi bla licenzjata ghax dejjem sabuli fiex nehel!

l-problema hija li ghal kull test li tlajt ridt inhallas 70 euro bhala applikazzjoni! plus ghal lessons ta bejn kull test. issa jien stipendju kull ma andi 86 euro ghal xahar..jigifieri ara kull student kif qed jitkisser biex igib din l-licenzja.

jien naghti tort lil adt u anki l-learners ghax t-tnejn japrofitaw ruhom. please ghanda isir gustizja u l-prezz biex titla ghat-test ghanda tkun standard u mhux izidu kemm iridu l-learners biex jaqalaw l-flus minn fuqna...mhux bizejjed ikunu hadu minn lessons!

Frans H Said

Oct 7th 2009, 10:29

At least this is good news. The question is, how many of the 8125 passes can be trusted on the road? Seeing certain learners one wonders how ther are being taught. I feel that there should be an advance test after say, two years from the granting of the original licence. I also feel that after any accident of a certain magnitude, the driver should once again be tested for his reliability on the road. Also, after the suspension of licence by the Couirts, the driver should again be subjected to another full test.. A car on the road is a leathel weapom, as dangerous as a gun or knife.

Anthony Debono

Oct 7th 2009, 10:24

@Minister and ADT (oops!)
WOW !! 54% failure rate !!!
And with these statistics, what's next?

Surely there must be something wrong with....the driving schools (dare I say).

How about vetting the driving schools, from which all new drivers are born?
What are the requirements to start a driving school?
What are the requirements/qualifications to be a driving instructor?

I see driving instructors driving with their hand dangling, as well as while instructing.
I see learner drivers that do not use the indicators. Whose fault is it?
I see driving instructors that seem (I hope) to forget the Highway Code when they are driving.

Ok, so Adrian Vassallo (PL) got the answer and may be happy, as well as the minister.
Sorry. This should be the starting point to investigate WHY so many failures.

ACTION PLEASE!! As that's the starting point in getting a driving licence. Is that why there are so many motorists who blatantly break the Highway Code rules? I wonder.

Joe Anastasi

Oct 7th 2009, 10:17

Does this mean we're all idiots, or is there something wrong with the system ?

Paul Barrett

Oct 7th 2009, 10:06

Amazed at the very high pass rate.

Anthony E Portelli

Oct 7th 2009, 10:02

How about testing the driving instructor in the first place!

Kevin Grima

Oct 7th 2009, 10:00

I've been taking driving lessons for 3 years... the past year has been continuos (without stopping) ...I'm paying more than 15 Euro per driving lesson and I drive quite well on the road, and yet the driving instructor tells me that i'm not ready!! In a nut shell, I got angry of all this profit making from innoccent people... and I demanded my self to do the test, and that's what we did... I failed... why? Becuase the young lady examiner asked me to PARK ON A DOUBLE YELLOW LINE (she played a trick) ...and foolishly I did so... With a sinister smile she just told me that i've failed.