No licence to kill for SA drivers

30 November 2015 - 02:14 By Sipho Masombuka

Motorists who pass their driver's test on the third attempt are safer on the road than those who get it first time, a UK study has revealed. Over-confident drivers who pass at the first attempt are likely to describe their driving as "perfect" and are most likely to cause accidents - but less than 1% of South African applicants pass first time.Although the study noted that those who passed after three attempts were likely to describe their driving as "safe" and "cautious", South African experts said it was impossible to compare UK and South African drivers as the two were worlds apart when it came to testing methods.Justice Project SA spokesman Howard Dembovsky said UK tests were significantly different to South Africa's."The UK scrapped K53 in 1989 and their methodology has changed several times since."Automobile Association spokesman Layton Beard said it would be difficult to profile drivers because there had been no reliable road-fatality statistics since 2011...

There’s never been a more important time to support independent media.

From World War 1 to present-day cosmopolitan South Africa and beyond, the Sunday Times has been a pillar in covering the stories that matter to you.

For just R80 you can become a premium member (digital access) and support a publication that has played an important political and social role in South Africa for over a century of Sundays. You can cancel anytime.

Already subscribed? Sign in below.



Questions or problems? Email helpdesk@timeslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00.