DUBAI // A risk awareness test has been added to the driving test to make motorists more aware in school areas, while driving at night, in the rain, in densely populated areas or the desert.
The Risks Recognition Test was launched by the Roads and Transport Authority on July 1 as part of an enhanced theoretical knowledge test for trainee drivers introduced five years ago, according to the Wam news agency. This test covers light vehicles, heavy trucks, buses and motorbikes to raise traffic awareness and road safety.
“The Risks Recognition Test is implemented in all advanced countries which boast a high record of traffic awareness and safety levels, and we have felt that it is necessary to introduce it in Dubai,” said Ahmed Bahrozyan, chief executive of the RTA’s Licensing Agency.
The new test is being conducted in Arabic, English and Urdu with plans to extend it next September to Chinese, Farsi, Hindi, Malayalam, Bengali, Russian and Tamil.
The test contains five videos of 25 seconds each to depict environment and road conditions to help the driver cope while driving in the rain, on highways, in school zones, desert areas, densely populated market areas with high pedestrian traffic, residential neighbourhoods and night driving.
“The Risks Recognition Test had been designed by a company specialising in developing hi-tech 3-D drawings relating to traffic safety,” Mr Bahrozyan said.
“The training is one of the key tests that will empower driving trainees to better assess all risks in order to counter them after obtaining driving licenses.”
newsdesk@thenational.ae
