It is still not known whether compulsory driving training would benefit road safety. Austria has used it for many years, and is perhaps the most regulated country in Europe. This article discusses what lessons can be learned from studying how the Austrians conduct their driving schools, driver training programmes, and driving tests. All new Austrian drivers must be trained by a driving school approved by the Austrian Ministry of Transport. A candidate must have 40 hours of theoretical training and 20 hours of practical training. Inspectors from the Ministry visit driving schools regularly but sometimes unexpectedly. A school ensures that its training is effective. Students benefit from this system. They are trained in functional classrooms, with many modern visual and learning aids including computers. They cannot start their practical lessons until they have sufficent knowledge of theory. Test standards and the level of training are both high. All students are given official school workbooks and practise dummy tests at their school. Practical training begins off-road, and goes on-road only when there is a good sense of vehicle handling. The Austrian system is expensive. Although statistics suggest that Austrian drivers are not better, many Austrian roads are covered in snow and ice.
Abstract