Road traffic experts have declared their fears that thousands of newly passed British motorists can’t read or understand English road signs.
It has been revealed that at least 3,144 learner drivers in the Greater Manchester areas needed the help of a translator with the practical part of the their test during 2012. This was up from 2,274 in 2011 and 1,561 the year before.
One Of The Few Signs That Some New Drivers Understand
These startling figures were obtained under the Freedom Of Information Laws, in an effort to show a growing trend that the Driving Standards Agency [“DSA”] is looking into. The fear is that drivers are being allowed onto our roads when they don’t even understand the basic road signs that are designed to protect other road users and pedestrians.
The cause of most concern is that the interpreters are often family friends or relatives and could help the candidate cheat by telling them the answers. It is telling that since 2009, some £94,500 has been spent on investigations to reveal the fraudsters and put some integrity back into the driving licence examining system.
Turning to some figures, West Didsbury showed the highest number of interpreters used for driving test examinations with 1,057 in 2012. They were closely followed by Cheetham Hill with 600 and Failsworth with some 498.
Even the driving instructors are getting a little bit fed up with the system. Bernie Price, a Didsbury driving instructor stated, “More and more people are going it and it’s not right.”
“The system is open to abuse, “he continued, “because you don’t know what the translator is saying. They should ban it.”
The DSA will today release a report calling for all driving tests to be conducted in English or Welsh alone. This, they say, will cut down on potential fraud, increase road safety, encourage better driving and aid social cohesion. In short, it is fairer that one rule is observed by all.
Some may say that a further sensible suggestion by the DSA is the proposed scrapping of driving theory test voice overs, which are currently translated into 19 languages and costs the British tax payer some £250,000 per year.
Road Safety Minister Stephen Hammond said: “We want to ensure that all drivers have the right skills to use our roads safely and responsibly.
“There is a potential road safety risk of drivers not understanding important traffic updates or emergency information, but allowing interpreters on tests also presents the risk of fraud, for example if they are indicating the correct answers to theory test questions.”
This article has been written and distributed for BCL Legal.
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