Lawmakers on the legislature’s Transportation Committee yesterday asked the Directorate-General of Highways (DGH) to address issues that prevent people from securing a spot to take a scooter license exam.
Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Lin Chun-hsien (林俊憲) said that the Ministry of Transportation and Communications is considering adding an open road test to obtain a scooter license, after reports showing a 52 percent increase in traffic accidents in the past 10 years.
However, it is very difficult to secure a spot to take the scooter license exam these days, the legislator from Tainan said.
Photo: CNA
All available spots for scooter license exams at the Tainan Motor Vehicle Services Station have been taken this month, Lin said, adding that the earliest time available is on Nov. 4.
The Web site that was created for people to register for scooter license exams is poorly designed and does not allow people to quickly check other available spots in other motor vehicle stations, Lin said.
Lin added that the DGH’s requirement that people take an online cognitive test before registering for a scooter license exam “was completely lost on him.”
“I am sure that the requirement was made with good intentions, but even if test-takers score zero on the online cognitive test, they can still register for a license exam,” he said.
The cognitive test only slows them down and prevents them from quickly obtaining a spot for a license exam, he said.
“There should be either a passing grade for the online cognitive test, or the cognitive test should be made part of the scooter license exam,” he said.
DGH Director-General Chen Wen-ruey (陳文瑞) said that the purpose of the online cognitive test is for people to understand potential risks and hazards they might face when they are on the road and become more conscious about road safety issues.
“We will work on letting people find available spots for license tests faster,” Chen said.
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