Auto cars for driving tests on the cards

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KUALA LUMPUR: The government plans to allow cars with automatic transmission to be used for driving tests, the Dewan Rakyat was told yesterday.

Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Abdul Rahim Bakri, however, said existing regulations which stipulate that only manual transmission cars can be used to test learner drivers, must first be amended in order to make the switch.

Besides this, he said changes would also have to be made to the curriculum enforced for driving schools and test methods apart from having to introduce a new class of driving licence, specifically for drivers of cars with automatic transmission.

He said this when replying to questions on the matter from Datuk Abdul Manan Ismail (BN-Paya Besar) and Matulidi Jusoh (BN-Dungun).

The duo had contended that this was overdue as automatic cars were “women and elderly friendly”.

On road accidents, Abdul Rahim told the Dewan that according to studies done by the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety (Miros), 67 per cent were due drivers’ negligence, 28 per cent road conditions and the balance vehicle conditions. — Bernama