The Ministry of Transport is making another significant change in the rules for driving courses. This is clear from amendments to the Regulation on the “conditions and procedure for training candidates for acquiring a driving license and the conditions and procedure for issuing a permit for their training“, which have been released for public discussion on the government's Consultation Portal.
The new rules are related to tightening discipline, new responsibilities for trainees, mandatory practical training in the dark, minimum technical requirements for digital documents, and procedures for sanctions for instructors and training centers. The reasons for the changes contain an explicit assumption of a possible increase in course prices due to the introduction and implementation of the new rules.
The amendments introduce the requirement for driver candidates to sign the training record at the beginning and end of each training session. The graphic image of the signed signatures, along with the location, date and time of their signing, are stored in the information system. The purpose of the change was to provide full training and for the candidate to be involved in proving the training sessions completed. The change will facilitate the control activities of the Executive Agency “Automobile Administration“ (IAAA) and will prevent vicious practices in the implementation and recording of the completed training, provided for in the training documentation, the ministry claims.
The rule is introduced that the location of the instructor during theoretical training with the relevant group is automatically reflected in the training log through the information system. The aim here was to prevent the future commission of violations already established by the control bodies by the training centers. They, through the information system, fulfilled the obligation to record the attendance of the candidates, but at the same time did not conduct classes in a classroom, the explanatory memorandum states.
An obligation is created to guarantee that the training centers conduct mandatory practical training in the dark part of the day. This is done by specifying the specific time ranges for its conduct. The proposal will achieve proper implementation and compliance with the training documentation, as well as the correct reporting of the training hours conducted during these periods. This will ensure that during their practical training, candidates have mastered and acquired knowledge of driving in the dark, which is crucial for road safety, the authors of the changes claim.
It is proposed that practical training in the dark be carried out in the period:
1. from 18:30 to 06:30 - for the months of November, December and January;
2. from 20:30 to 06:00 - for the months of February, March and April;
3. from 22:00 to 05:00 - for the months of May, June and July;
4. from 21:00 to 06:00 - for the months of August, September and October“.
Another change is related to the rules when candidates for drivers have not completed the theoretical and/or practical training within two years of their commencement. Then the candidate will undergo new training. The proposal aims to admit to the theoretical and/or practical exam persons who, on the date of taking the relevant exam, possess up-to-date knowledge, skills and behavior for safe driving. A check in the information system administered by the IAAA shows that there are registered persons who started training more than two years ago and have not yet completed it or have not taken the exam for the first time to acquire the driving license. Over the past two years, the regulatory framework regulating road safety rules has changed many times, which is why it is necessary to be familiar with the current framework, the explanatory notes to the regulation state.
When enrolling in a training course, candidates must submit a declaration to the training center that they meet the requirements for acquiring a driving license, along with a card for assessing the physical fitness of a driver/candidate for acquiring a license/driving license. The cited document is also required when submitting an application for issuing a driving license to the regional directorates of the Ministry of Interior. It is planned to provide a certified copy of the card, thus reducing the administrative burden for candidates.
The changes provide for a procedure for sanctions in the event of violations of the regulation by a training center. Under it, the executive director of the Executive Agency “Automobile Administration“ or officials authorized by him will apply the measure “temporary suspension of activity“ by order until the violation is eliminated. This will be done by suspending the access of the head of the training activity, the teachers of theoretical and practical training and the technical assistant to the information system. The proposed amendments aim to ensure greater clarity and efficiency in the application of the measure “temporary suspension of the training center“.
In order to implement the new regulation, which provides for electronic document management - a study diary and a study card, it will be necessary for the persons to have technical devices that meet higher requirements. In connection with the need for mobile devices to be available to teachers, it is possible that the price of training courses for candidates for acquiring a driving license may be increased, the reasons for the changes state.
Previously, it was stated that the proposed minimum versions of the operating systems of technical devices are currently the most widely used. In view of the use of current methods and technologies, however, it was “necessary to set a limit that would indicate the minimum requirements for using the mobile application to reflect the theoretical or practical training hours completed“.
Ultimately, given the fact that each training center determines the price of the training course on a market basis and it is not regulated by law, specific amounts of the possible increase in the price of the course, respectively the additional financial burden for the candidates, cannot be specified, the Ministry of Transport claims.
Access to the information system of the head of the training activity, teachers, technical assistant and candidates for acquiring a driving license will be free of charge.
It is explicitly stated that the expected results of the next changes to the changes are “the achievement of a goal of general significance to society – improving road safety, as well as ensuring full and quality training so that prepared drivers can take to the road, which is why the public interest in adopting the amendments outweighs private interest“.