The Kerala Motor Vehicle Department (MVD) has recently uploaded a video featuring a detailed description of the new and advanced format of the test required to qualify for holding a driver’s licence. The video contains the new additions to the test process for Light Motor Vehicles (LMV) and motorcycles.
The renovated test process includes a three-step screening for LMV, which includes H-Track, Gradient Track and Parking Track tests and 8-Track Test, for motorcycles as well as three wheelers. This method has already been implemented in three places – Kozhikode, Kannur and Parashala – and the MVD is in the process of expanding the same to other districts like Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Ernakulam, and Alappuzha.
The entire test will also be under camera surveillance. According to the MVD officials, these changes have been incorporated in order to bring in transparency and efficiency in the process of providing driving licence to a person. Even though some changes have been brought in the procedure, a fully fledged implementation is yet to be done.
Explaining more about the changed test pattern, Joint Transport Commissioner and Secretary, STA, Rajeev Puthalathu said, “We have made these necessary changes in the test pattern as we felt that it was high time these valid changes be brought, because with the number of vehicles increasing on a daily basis, it is our responsibility to check whether people are capable to drive and handle a vehicle. Moreover, merely passing an H-Track test is not enough as people need to have a proper knowledge about parking the vehicle and driving on a different terrain as well.”
He added that the delay in implementing this in every district is because of certain technical irregularities and that it would be corrected soon. The ramp built for the Gradient Track Test should ideally maintain a proportion of 10:1, however it was built as 15:1, which needs to be corrected. Moreover, the works of installing cameras and other technologies related to it is only progressing.
The department has decided to implement strict road rules and punish those violating them in the light of increasing road accidents in Kerala. However, this is cannot be implemented by manual intervention alone because there are only around 600-700 MVD officials and the number of roads, junctions and quantity of traffic that need to be handled is much above that. The department has, therefore, come up with technological interventions in order to manage the traffic and to ensure the safety of people on the roads by implementing the rules in a proper manner.
The Joint Transport Commissioner also informed that the department has planned to install cameras on all the major roads linking various districts. He says that the normal trend among people is to slow down the vehicle and maintain the regulated speed as the vehicle nears the camera. This does not serve the purpose and helps in reducing the number of accidents. Therefore, without much delay, this system will also be upgraded and the average speed of the vehicle will be calculated and if found more than the fixed speed limit, then summons will be sent to the owner.
The department is also planning to remove the driving school’s vehicles for the test and introduce well-equipped vehicles so as to check the candidate’s efficiency in a proper manner.
“This is naturally a good move from the government’s side as it will ensure that people who are giving the test for a driver’s licence have not only properly learned how to drive, but also have adequate knowledge about driving on an elevated terrain and on how to park a vehicle. It will also increase a sense of responsibility in tutors like us that we need to teach our students well so that they do not fail in test, because it will directly impact the image of our institution,” says Girish, owner and tutor of Deepa Driving School.
The department is also planning to initiate extensive awareness classes and other programmes from January in order to make the public aware of new rules and procedures and the consequences, if these are being violated.
Main photograph by Candice and Jarrett via Flickr.
