An "expert" is urging the adoption of psychometric assessment as part of the driving test. He says we need to get beyond hand/eye coordination and deal with drivers' attitudes. We need to be able to correct unacceptable levels of risk-taking, giving as examples jumping red lights and speeding.
Another example of Orwellian tendencies?
Before rushing to judgment, bear in mind that drivers for Arriva apparently have beend subject to such assessment for some time and it is claimed that it has reduced the 50% chance that their new drivers will be involved in a collision.
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An "expert" is urging the adoption of psychometric assessment as part of the driving test.
I agree with it. Some people are just not psychologically compatible with the needs of driving.
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L\'escargot.
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Psychometric testing for new drivers is a good idea in principle. When we see examples of bad driving we mutter to ourselves things like 'not fit to be in charge of a wheelbarrow' or similar.
I think we need to keep people who are psychologically unfit to drive off the roads. I mean people who might be perfectly capable of sailing through the practical and theory test but have an attitude problem through being excessively quick-tempered, impatient, risk-taking or arrogant.
Many people don't drive either because they have been unable to pass the driving test or because they have a medical condition that bars them from holding a licence. So I think there is much more scope for withdrawing the privilege of a driving licence from those who abuse it.
Some people say 'after you've passed, forget all they taught you'. That is an attitude that needs to be erased. If psychometric testing is introduced for new driving licence appliacants it should also be used for disqualified drivers before they get their licences back.
I have one major misgiving about psychometric tests, though. That is how accurate they would be.
People would get to know what to say or do to pass them and then they would be ineffective.
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The idea is good in principal, but I can't help thinking that we would end up with a fair proportion of lentil eating anti car fanatics among those carrying out the tests. Anyone showing un-pc attitudes towards the environment and public transport would probably be classed as a non-person and deemed unfit.
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Psycho(anything) is seriously bad news! I know there haven't been that many cases but when there are they get reported. We can all recall cases where some mentally unbalanced person has been released from custody, into the community, on the say-so of some psychologist, and has killed someone within a month. "This tragedy could not have been foreseen and we shall put robust measures in place to ensure that nothing like this ever happens again" said an NHS spokesperson. I don't want people whose judgement is that flawed deciding who is and isn't fit to drive. A good knowledge of English and a demanding written and practical test should do the trick.
If they have to use psychologists for anything put them on the case of something really serious like firearms certificates!
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AS: "Psycho(anything) is seriously bad news! "
While I would generally agree with you about psycho anything, psychometric testing has to be taken a little differently. The evidence is in that psychometric testing is more accurate than most other ways of assessing people's likely behaviour. As an example, employing people SOLELY on psychometric testing is much more effective in terms of long-term outcomes than interviewing them. They can be designed to weed out people giving what they believe to be the correct answers.
Used wisely with education for those whose attitudes fail the test, it might do something to stop the lunatic behaviour that comes from attitude (and I include "too cautious" in that behaviour). Unfortunately, that would take joined-up thinking and money, so I might as well wish for a lottery win tonight. (Though I could improve my chances a little by buying a ticket).
V
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thats me banned from the roads then :-(
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Keep your wits about you and, if the test relies on interviews or questionnaires, it is fairly easy to see where questions are going. For example, I was was subjected to psychometric tests as part of the selection process when applying for an interesting job - selling gin in Germany. One paper question was; you are in a German hotel for the night. Would you rather a) stay in your room, b) go to an opera or c) join the other guests in the bar. I would much rather not do c) but it seemed the obvious kosher answer. I adopted this approach for the 200 questions all told (I was instructed to fill them in fast, so as not to be able to rig the answers, but this did not work).
Designers of such tests reckon they can spot rigging. Whatever the case, I was second out of several candidates interviewed. I asked what the first had that I hadn't? 10 years experience of selling gin in Germany. He got the job and, perhaps, the liver to go with it.
The situation might be different if lie dtetector-types of testing are used but these are known to be unreliable and findings are not allowable as evidence in UK courts.
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Psychometric testing has been used for decades to build up a picture of job candidates - usually for positions of responsibility - and I can say, from experience, that it is unnervingly accurate. I view 'driving' as a pretty responsible business and would support some sort of aptitude testing.
Remember all those aggressive, thoughtless loons and ne'er-do-wells from your schooldays - a significantly high proportion of the year's intake? ...... well, they all managed to get through their driving tests and they're out there on the roads now. Frightening, ain't it?
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The medical test for potential HGV drivers includes a questionaire (to be completed by the applicants GP) relating to drug abuse / mental health problems.
We all expect HGV drivers to behave properly and predictably, and they usually do, thanks to a healthy mental attitude and good training. It's about time the same standards were applied to car drivers.
A free or subsidised mental health assessment won't deter the less well off from applying for a licence, and the better off won't benefit just because they can afford it.
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How fast do you intend to drive?
a) within the legal limit
b) at a safe speed for the prevailing conditions
c) as fast as I can get me Saxo to go, innit?
In theory a sound idea, but it strikes me as a bit like that question you answer on US immigration forms "Do you intend to overthrow the State?" or some such. Who was it who wrote "sole purpose of visit"?
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a bit like that question you answer on US immigration forms "Do you intend to overthrow the State?" or some such
I was told the reason for that question was that it is mush easier to chuck someone in the slammer and throw the key away for lying on a visa application than for the actual offence.
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The answer to that question, on page 4 of a 7 page form, was once given by a very acid TV presenter called Gilbert Harding as "Sole purpose of visit". Because the forms were so big and there were so many of them, they weren't 100% checked and he got his visa, allegedly!
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Psychometric testing if done correctly might do a better job of loading insurance premiums rather than assessing driving tests. Bear in mind that you're not out to identify a particular person's profile, you're just comparing them with other people. If your profile matches other people's who've answered seemingly nonsensical questions and prove to be a higher risk, then fair enough, you can pay more for your insurance.
People who tend to be safer drivers will fit into a different profile, and the job's a good-un.
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Ah, the 'thoughtless loons' mentioned earlier ..... just saw an example in town in a black hatch with blacked-out windows - I think it was an A3. He was negotiating a tight mini-roundabout one-handed while holding a mobile phone to his ear and trying to change gear at the same time. He completely lost the line and had to reverse - luckily there was no one behind him. I made sure he saw me laughing [and got ready to run ;-)]
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Ah the 'thoughtless loons' mentioned earlier ..... just saw an example in town in a black hatch with blacked-out windows - I think it was an A3. He was negotiating a tight mini-roundabout one-handed while holding a mobile phone to his ear and trying to change gear at the same time. He completely lost the line and had to reverse - luckily there was no one behind him. I made sure he saw me laughing [and got ready to run ;-)]
waino , if ever you fail the psychometric driving test you certainly wont fail the eye test
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I am familiar with these test and would support them.
BUT
with a significant number of drivers being banned/no licence/no insurance.. WHY Bother?
Sort current problems out first.
(Too simple for politicians to understand)
madf
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with a significant number of drivers being banned/no licence/no insurance.. WHY Bother?
Sort current problems out first.>>
Spot on, madf, that'd get rid of some of the worse ones as a starter.
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