Within the overall system of novice driver preparation, with its diverse training and testing elements, the practical driving test possesses great diagnostic potential as an instrument to determine the level of driving competence reached by a licence applicant and to recognise safety-relevant competence deficits. To enable even better exploitation of this potential in the future, the present report is to introduce proposals for further development of the practical test on the basis of a comprehensive and critical methodical and content-related reflection. To this end, the foundations of the practical test are to be analysed in the light of competence theory, the systematic basis in psychological testing and legislation is to be described, past changes in test contents and methods are to be mapped, the methodical particularities of the present-day practical test are to be identified and compared with international practice, and necessary steps for further optimisation are to be outlined. (Author/publisher)
Abstract