There’s a backlog of almost half a million new drivers waiting to take their road test to earn their full license. Back in September, Ontario announced the addition of temporary testing centres in particularly clogged regions, running seven days a week, to help ease the strain.
Last week, they announced a further step: to save time, they’re cutting the traditional 30-minute test in half by eliminating the requirement to test a new driver’s ability to parallel park, do a three-point turn, and perform a roadside stop. They argue that drivers have already been tested on these maneuvers as part of their G2 road test.
The parallel parking portion of the road test has been the bugaboo of new drivers for generations. Why the stress and hand-wringing? Because it was a difficult skill to master. A measurable outcome with little margin for error. Do you use it every day? Some do, many don’t, but it’s time to look beyond the little-used application and appreciate the reason it is a perfect example of why it should not only not be ditched, but that it should be part of a better, if not bigger, test.
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