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| Brig al-Kharji presiding over the guide releasing programme |
The “Driving Guide for Light Vehicles”, which has been approved as the text for a unified curriculum for driving schools, was released at a meeting with representatives of the schools in the country recently.
The releasing ceremony was attended by director of Traffic Department Brig. Mohamed Saad al-Kharji, head of licensing section at the Department Col. Saqr Salem al-Muraikhi, officer at drivers’ testing committee Lt. Jamal Majli Mubarak and representatives from eight driving schools.
The Traffic Department director said that learners will not be permitted to appear for the practical driving test unless they first cleared the theoretical test based on this guide.
He said: “The purpose is to produce drivers familiar with safe driving rules and conversant with all safety requirements for motor vehicles. Unfortunately, there are many drivers who pass the driving tests without being familiar with many of the foundations of safe driving, and the importance of giving signals while turning.”
Brig. al-Kharji also noted that the guide provides details about many acts that increase the risks on the road, as well as about the importance of wearing seat belt and air bag protection, safety of children in the vehicles, driving in different conditions like rain, fog and wind and driving at night. It also shows the risks involved in using mobile phones and other things that distract the driver.
“In this guide we have provided lessons on tyre safety, purposes of different lights in a vehicle, how to check the level of engine oil, brake oil and automatic transmission, and the level of engine cooling solutions, as well as emergency equipment,” added al-Kharji.
The traffic director said that house drivers are trained on small light vehicles but once they get the licence they start driving SUVs which they find difficult to control. “Their non-familiarity with city routes also creates problem,” he observed. As a solution, the traffic director asked the schools to train house drivers using different types of light vehicles and spend some of their training time to get acquainted with important government offices, health facilities, shopping centres and other important locations.
The representatives of the driving schools welcomed the release of driving guide and affirmed that they will train the learners accordingly.
The guide was prepared based on many references including Traffic Law No.19/2007, safe driving guides of some Arab countries and Canadian and Australian driving guides. It is classified into five main chapters covering all the points of safe driving in addition to a section on traffic violations and one containing a questionnaire “Test yourself’.
The representatives of Karwa Driving Centre, Doha Academy for Driving, Al-Raya Driving School, Al-Mutahida Driving Institute, Al-Khebra Driving School, Qatar Driving Institute, Gulf Driving School and Al-Hasba Driving School attended the programme.