Getting a driver's license is now becoming more difficult! The driving exam is changing, and the duration will be extended.

A new regulation is being prepared to improve the training standards of driver candidates. The right to practice parking maneuvers will be doubled. The regulation, which also foresees the extension of the exam duration, is expected to include regulations for electric vehicles and disabled individuals. Murat Tekin, the President of the Istanbul Driving Schools and Instructors Federation, explained that the regulation will be carried out within the scope of the Road Traffic Safety Action Plan and said, "The extension of the exam duration to 40 minutes is expected in order to train better drivers."

END OF THE "JOKER" INITIATIVE

Tekin said, "As NGOs, we consulted with the General Directorate of Private Education Institutions of the Ministry of National Education regarding the regulation amendment, and they also took our opinions." Tekin stated that the draft regulation is in its final stages and said, "After it is submitted and published, driving schools will need to make changes to comply. This regulation can be perceived as a regulation that raises standards."

Murat Tekin stated that changes are planned to be made in the driving exams of trainees with the prepared regulation. It is expected that the exam duration will be extended to 40 minutes in order to train better drivers, and it is expected that trainees who enroll in driving schools will be required to renew their identification. These are important for security. An application that will eliminate illegality, called "joker" in the news, where someone replaces their identity with someone else's, will be prevented by verifying the person's identity. By making these changes, irregularities that may occur will be prevented.

PARKING RULES EASED

Murat Tekin emphasized that driver candidates have difficulties in parking between two vehicles and said, "A trainee had to park their vehicle between two cars by reversing in one move. This was very strict. It was a clause that did not have much connection with death and caused all the training to focus on this. A change is also expected to be made here. The trainee will have the opportunity to try again if they cannot succeed in parking between two vehicles after the first attempt."

DRIVING EDUCATION IN OWN VEHICLE FOR DISABLED INDIVIDUALS

Tekin also mentioned the problems experienced by disabled trainees in the driving exam and said, "All disabled trainees have various types of disabilities. We may not be able to adapt a vehicle to a hundred different disabilities, but a change is also expected here. We want an alternative to be offered to the driving candidate by saying, 'If you want to get a driver's license, you can provide your own vehicle, enroll in the course with this vehicle, receive your training with this vehicle, and take the exam with this vehicle in order to graduate. If you cannot provide this, you can rent this vehicle.' This is a positive thing for our disabled citizens. When our disabled citizens come, they will be able to receive training and take the exam with their own vehicle."

SPECIAL QUESTION FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLES

Tekin stated that the use of electric vehicles is increasing in Turkey and said that these vehicles are now also used in training. Tekin said, "With the new regulation, we expect a regulation to be made regarding the use of electric automatic transmission vehicles in driving schools. We expect a change to be made where questions about things that concern the vehicle, such as battery level, which are specific to electric vehicles but not present in regular cars, are removed, and a definition for electric vehicles is expected."

'U-TURN' WILL ALSO BE REQUIRED IN THE EXAM

Tekin stated that they foresee the addition of the "U-turn" maneuver in the motorcycle and car usage training in driving exams and said, "Trainees will be asked to perform a 'U-turn' with two maneuvers."