Watch out: more hazards for learner drivers

Tuesday 18 October 2016

There might not be any Jersey cows crossing the road but anyone learning to drive on our roads will soon have plenty of other online hazards to contend with.

Learners will have to navigate wet roads in poor visibility and keep an eye out for what's happening in front of them as part of the new hazard perception testing, being added in to the theory driving test at the beginning of next month.

The test includes 14 short video clips and it's up to learners to spot the hazards on the road as quickly as possible. They need to score a minimum of 44 out of 75 to pass and the quicker they spot the hazards, the higher their score.

Lorry and bus drivers have 19 clips to get through and need to score a minimum of 67 out of 100 to pass.

If learners don't spot enough hazards, they'll have to re-sit the whole theory test.

Deputy Inspector of Motor Traffic Chris Le Maistre said: "When we are your driving, we are confronted with potential hazards, such as cars pulling out in front of us or people stepping off the pavement into our path.

"Driving test candidates cannot always be assessed on their reactions in a practical test as these situations may not be encountered. This new hazard perception testing in the theory test will enable a fair assessment to be made of all candidates."

You can find out more here.