It is well known that prospective drivers must wait a long time to take their driving test in Flanders. These long waiting times, of six to seven months, are partly because, on average, more than 4,000 driving tests for a Class B driver’s licence are canceled each year. After all, every lost time slot is a missed opportunity to help another candidate quickly, which further increases the waiting list.
The impact of the canceled exams is particularly significant for those who learn to drive without a driving school, says Flemish Member of Parliament Sofie Mertens (CD&V). Mertens, therefore, believes that a better registration system must be put in place quickly.
More than 30,000 exams canceled
Since 2019, more than 30,000 exams have been canceled, according to figures requested by Mertens. The reasons for these cancellations range from no-shows and people not having their provisional driver’s licence or ID card with them to people whose provisional driver’s licence is no longer valid.
In any case, the impact on the already increasing waiting times at the exam centers – still a consequence of the Covid-19 crisis closure – is significant, as those candidates will have to be rescheduled, further increasing waiting times.
For Mertens, this means that a better registration system must be put in place quickly. “This is the only way we can reduce the number of canceled exams and, therefore, the long waiting times for the driving test,” she says.
Unfair system
The figures show a remarkable difference between candidates who take their exam with a driving school or an independent supervisor, a considerably cheaper option, as lessons at a driving school cost almost 2,000 euros. With the driving school, 5,816 driving tests could not go ahead.
For candidates who registered with an instructor, ranging from a parent or family member to a self-employed driving instructor, this number is more than four times higher: no fewer than 24,485 exams were canceled. According to Mertens, this significant difference may be due to driving schools conducting these driving tests daily.
“The system is unfair,” Mertens complains. “Those who learn to drive without a driving school do not have the same access to available exam places and have to wait longer.” Driving schools can respond more flexibly to the availability of exam slots. Candidates who learn to drive on their own must also book their own appointment. Candidates can only do this once they have obtained their provisional driver’s licence, with no guarantee of a place.
“As a result, many candidates book their exam very early, pass less often (41,1%), and must wait in line again. This creates a vicious circle that further increases the pressure on the system.”
151 examiners
Flemish Minister of Mobility Annick De Ridder (N-VA) also wants to reduce these waiting times. In addition to an increase in the number of exams that cannot take place due to administrative or technical shortcomings, there is also a simultaneous increase in demand for theoretical and practical driving license exams B.
The combination of more candidates and a backlog is causing longer waiting times. She points out that the number of examiners has risen from 126 to 151 between 2019 and now, with six more examiners currently in training.
Recent figures show that 52% of candidates opt for private coaching, while 48% prefer lessons at a driving school.
