Driving schools should be regulated-Namoloh

Safety and security minister Charles Namoloh has called for the regulation of driving schools in order to have proper driving trainers.

He said this while speaking at the launch of the 2018-2019 festive season road safety campaign in the capital on Wednesday this week.

The minister said that some owners of driving schools themselves were not licensed to drive.

“Where have you seen a driver teaching a learning driver while standing outside the vehicle and ordering this learner when and where to turn instead of sitting next to the learner in the car to assist with directions and even how to handle the steering wheel?”

“Regulating driving schools would help us solve many ill-disciplines such as learner drivers who obtain drivers’ licenses without proper training and in the process causing havoc on the national roads.”

“The learners drive the way they want on national roads as if they have many years of experience in driving. In other words, they are given driving licenses without proper training and without knowing all the rules and regulations of using national roads,” Namoloh said.

He added that some learner drivers were reluctant and do not give right of way when they are supposed to.

 “They do not know when to drive and when to stop and these are things I have observed myself. I call upon every traffic law enforcement agent in the country to inspect every driver’s license they come across, in order to stop road carnages because it is caused by inexperienced drivers that only want to drive because of the sake of driving and not thinking about their safety or the safety of the next road user,” he said.

He added that the ministry of transport should take up the role of regulating all driving schools and make sure that they are owned by professional drivers accredited by an institution such as Natis.