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Driving Schools Oppose Non-Professional Tutors for Driving Instruction

Driving Schools Oppose Non-Professional Tutors for Driving Instruction

Canal Motor

Lunes, 13 de enero 2025, 12:50

Driving Schools Oppose Non-Professional Tutors for Driving Instruction

The National Commission for Markets and Competition (CNMC) has released a study on the training received by Spanish drivers. The study proposes several measures, notably allowing accompanied driving with non-professional tutors and offering more training alternatives, including digital and online methods.

In Spain, only authorised driving schools can teach driving, whereas in many countries, it is possible to practice with a non-professional tutor.

Driving schools must obtain specific authorisation for each type of training they wish to provide, in addition to having premises or vehicles. The qualifications of instructors and directors of the centres are also regulated.

This measure has sparked opposition from the private driving school sector: allowing driving candidates to receive practical vehicle handling and skill training through a non-professional tutor, who could be any citizen already holding a driving licence and in a vehicle without dual controls.

This proposal has caused great astonishment and critical uproar in the sector. "We do not understand the Commission's decision," says Álvaro Llamas, president of ANAES. "If the goal is to improve the training of candidates, we do not comprehend considering any citizen, with experience but without teaching skills, as a good instructor for a driving candidate, especially in a vehicle without dual pedals. If an accident occurs, who will be responsible? Who will have the tools and control to prevent it? Who guarantees that the tutor will not pass on bad driving habits to the candidate? It is a decision that has greatly surprised us, as we believe it goes against what the Commission truly aims to achieve."

For the president of ANAES, "if implemented, this measure would pose a danger to road safety. With more than 1,150 deaths within 24 hours in 2024, according to the Provisional Road Accident Report presented today by the Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, adopting any measure that could increase these fatality figures is a luxury we cannot afford," he asserts.

"At ANAES, we have been advocating for the quality training provided in driving schools for years, and we do not support this measure proposed by the Commission. Since the latest reform of the Traffic, Vehicle Circulation, and Road Safety Law came into effect in 2021, we have been requesting the Administration to implement minimum mandatory road awareness training modules in driving schools. Here, the Commission itself does not rule it out and even supports it, but we do not understand this willingness to undermine the work of sector professionals and replace it with training from someone who lacks or has outdated knowledge," he argues.

"As one of the entities representing the driving school sector, we defend the work of road safety instructors and the quality of the training they have received, both theoretically and practically. It involves 260 practical hours and several months of theoretical training, which equips them to handle any incident that may arise. With the new Higher Vocational Training cycle in Safe and Sustainable Mobility Technician, these hours increase to 2000. This cannot be compared to the training any driver might have received, regardless of their driving experience. It will ultimately harm the training the candidate receives and the skills they learn behind the wheel," he notes.

Another measure proposed by the Commission is directed at the DGT itself, urging it to improve the examination service by making it more agile and transparent. "However, we have not found any reference in the study to providing Provincial Traffic Headquarters and examination centres with sufficient and necessary personnel to improve the training candidates receive in driving schools. It is unacceptable for a student to wait months to take an exam without knowing when they can do so. This interrupts their training and prevents them from doing the necessary practice. The decision to receive it or not lies with the student-client, and driving schools find themselves with their hands tied, unable to do anything because it does not depend on us," he concludes.

Regarding access to the profession, the supervisory body advocates simplifying the requirements to become an instructor or director and improving training for sector professionals. Increasing the transparency of the examination management system, reinforcing its balance, giving more decision-making power to students, and considering assigning exams to students instead of driving schools are among its proposals.

It also supports publishing information on pass rates and allowing students to manage their procedures directly with the General Directorate of Traffic (DGT); ensuring adequate access to practice and examination grounds, and facilitating the direct use of the DGT's case management tool.

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