MANILA, Philippines—The Land Transportation Office (LTO) is planning to update the driver's license written examinations it administers by including vehicle-specific questions.
The purpose for updating the LTO exam is to ensure that there would more capable drivers on the road, hopefully, resulting to lesser road crashes.
A total of 8,666 crash related deaths occurred in the country last 2014. From 2006 to 2014, the total number of casualties was 71,415.
"One of the major culprits for these road crashes is usually attributed to the weak licensing system of the country. It is very crucial to road safety condition," said Jose Regin Regidor of the National Center for Transportation Studies.
A driver's license gives a person the right to drive a vehicle.
Given this privilege, the LTO wants to know if the licensed drivers are responsible and deserving. The LTO hopes a comprehensive license exam will provide these informations.
" Ano ba yung examination natin? Nag modernize ba tayo? (What are our examinations? Did we modernize?) Kasi like for example, if you go to US or Canada, computerized na yan eh. Then randomly generated yung mga questions. So it's not like you can memorize or ask someone who has taken the exam before to give you tips." Regidor told Rappler.
The current licensing examinations are differentiated by the type of license applied for. However, whether you apply for a professional or non-professional license, the written examinations just consist of general and basic questions.
Professional drivers are drivers who drive public utility vehicles and light trucks. The pro driver is, in a way, responsible for the lives of their passengers.
According to Emerita Soliven, head of the Traffic Safety Division of the Land Transportation Office (LTO), the exams will be different in terms of the type of license and classification of the vehicle.
The different vehicle classifications for the new examination will be motorcycles, light, and heavy vehicles.
Soliven also said there were plans to include a psychological exam. —Rappler.com