- A proposed law would let civilian examiners with 3+ years’ experience run practical tests.
- They would require theoretical, pedagogy, and practical tests before certifying as examiners.
- Current waiting times reach 54 days (Ilfov) and 29 days (Bucharest).
- Digi24 experiment questions drivers’ knowledge of road signs and regulations.
A new proposed law aims to allow drivers with a minimum of 3 years of experience to become auto examiners for the practical driving test. The measure comes as a response to long waiting times for taking the practical exam, which can reach up to 54 days in some parts of the country. However, a Digi24 experiment raises questions about the knowledge of traffic regulations among Romanian drivers.
Proposal to Add Civilian Examiners
According to information presented by digi24.ro, the practical exam for obtaining a driving license could be taken, starting in 2024, in the presence of any driver with over 3 years of experience, certified by law as a vehicle examiner. The proposal belongs to MP Benedek Zakariás, who believes that this method would significantly reduce waiting times for the practical exam.
Conditions for Civilian Examiners
The bill’s initiator notes that applicants will have to pass rigorous tests before they can examine candidates:
- Theoretical tests regarding knowledge of the Highway Code
- Pedagogy tests to know how to communicate effectively with learners
- Practical evaluation tests to assess the ability to examine
“Theoretical tests, in terms of knowledge of the Highway Code. Tests, in my view, theoretical tests from the perspective of pedagogy, so that we know how to speak as examiners with students and learners, and, of course, practical tests,” said Benedek Zakariás.
The Context That Generated This Proposal
Current Waiting Times
As stated by Lucian Bode, Minister of Internal Affairs, “Many citizens complain that there are long delays in scheduling the practical driving test for obtaining a driving license.”
Data from the Permits Directorate reveal the real situation on the ground:
- Bucharest: the average waiting time is 29 days
- Ilfov County: the waiting time reaches 54 days
These extended timelines frustrate candidates and slow the process of obtaining a driving license, impacting the professional and personal plans of thousands of Romanians.
Issues Raised by the Experiment
Knowledge of Road Signs – A Relevant Test
Digi24 conducted an experiment that questions drivers’ knowledge of traffic regulations and road signs among experienced motorists. The results show that few drivers in traffic can correctly identify certain less common road signs.
A telling example is the road sign warning of a stretch of road where accidents have frequently occurred – the “high-risk accident zone” sign. Many experienced drivers failed to correctly identify this sign, raising pertinent questions about their ability to assess others’ knowledge.
Classification of Road Signs
To understand the complexity of the knowledge required by an examiner, we should recall Romania’s road sign system:
- Warning signs – triangular shape
- Priority signs – distinctive shapes
- Prohibition/Restriction signs – circular shape
- Obligation signs
- Directional signs
- Informational signs
- Additional panels
Road signs are indispensable to the road traffic system. They have specific shapes and are meant to maintain traffic flow at an acceptable pace in places where police officers are not directing traffic. Romania, as a signatory to the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic (1968) and the European Agreement (1971), applies European standards for road signs.
Advantages and Challenges of the Proposed System
Potential Benefits
- Reduction in waiting times – increasing the number of examiners could help resolve long queues
- Increased flexibility – exam scheduling could become faster and more convenient
- Unclogging the current system – official examiners could focus on more complex cases
Implementation Challenges
However, the cited source notes that “such skilled drivers will not be easy to find.” The main challenges include:
- Standardization of evaluation – ensuring a uniform level of stringency
- Ongoing verification – monitoring civilian examiners’ activity
- Adequate training – theoretical and practical preparation of examiners
- Prevention of corruption – implementing control mechanisms
Experts’ Opinion
Titi Aur, an expert in defensive driving, commented on the proposal: “If the rule under which some citizens will become examiners is fair and proper and afterward those citizens/examiner can be monitored, verified, to truly do a good job… then everything will be in order.”
This statement underscores the importance of a solid legislative framework and an effective monitoring system for the success of the initiative.
Future Perspectives
The bill provides that civilian examiners will enter service in 2024. Until then, several aspects must be clarified:
- The exact attestation procedure
- Conditions for maintaining examiner status
- Control and oversight mechanisms
- Legal accountability in case of evaluation errors
Road signs on Romanian runways and roads are periodically updated or modified according to traffic regulations in those areas. This dynamic aspect of traffic law makes ongoing training for examiners—whether official or civilian—even more important.
The success of this initiative largely depends on the rigor of the civilian examiners’ selection and training process, as well as the existence of effective control and continuous evaluation mechanisms. Only thus can road safety standards and the quality of the licensing process be maintained for obtaining a driving license.
