Survey backs psychometric testing for learner drivers
A new survey has revealed overwhelming support for psychometric testing to be made part of the UK driving test.
An only survey by Road Safety UK found 68% of respondents back psychometric testing.
The types of psychometric tests often proposed are already carried out on would be fighter pilots and anyone identified with the wrong attitude is not accepted on pilot training courses.
According to Road Safety UK, formerly LARSOA, attitude is at least as important as skill when driving.
Drivers need a responsible attitude towards other road users in order to use their skills to good effect and careful use of psychometrics could inform the decision whether to grant a driving licence.
These tests should also linked to the knowledge we have about brain development in young adults. The frontal lobe is key to processing many driving tasks, decisions and behaviours, but is not fully developed until around the age of 25 years.
Psychometric testing would also help profile potential new drivers who needed extra training or education on, for example, risk-taking.
However, the organisation also points out that only targeting new drivers would not really help road safety when there are millions of drivers out there on the roads today who would fail that test.
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