We’ve heard of countless complaints against bad drivers who don’t know the basic rules of the road.
Often, the blame is on how they obtained their driving licenses.
It’s safe to assume that these drivers are not aware of even basic road courtesy because they must just have bought their licenses through a fixer, or “passing” the driving test without actually taking it.
But now, there’s a promise that things could get better. The Land Transportation Office is implementing Memorandum Circular 2021-2284 that mandates any new driver to take a 15-hour theoretical course, pass a practical driving course, and pass a written exam before he is given a license.
If followed to the letter, this Memo Circular could make a big difference in our already-congested roads.
However, even as this law is barely a year old, several unscrupulous driving schools have sprouted, some even branching into our City in violation of the Memo Circular. And many of them offer the same shortcuts that we have been blaming for the sad state of our driving conditions today.
For starters, there is documented evidence to show that at least one of them produces driving test “results” — including medical certificates—without having the applicants go through an actual examination.
There’s also a common practice of some driving schools to use our city, provincial, and national roads as their “driving course”, again in violation of the Memo Circular.
Our City and Province can help restore order in our streets by regulating the operations of these driving schools, and ensure they do what they are supposed to do to produce better drivers.
