The authors suggest that the current driving test does not assess an aspect of driving critical to safety, that of driving style. It is considered that this could probably be detected during driver training. A study is then described which compares the opinions of learner drivers and their instructors about their capabilities. 657 pupils and 433 driving instructors answered questions rating their skill, confidence, ease of learning, enjoyment, attitude to deviance, thoroughness, deviance and likelihood of passing the test. An assessment was also made of future driving habits. Hours of tuition and practice were recorded. The results are tabulated and analyzed. Among the findings were a) passing the test was positively correlated with practice but not with tuition hours, b) instructors could predict test outcomes, pupils could not, and c) probable high risk drivers could be identified.
Abstract