Ivory Coast suspends entire driving test staff to tackle corruption & increase road safety

deepakc · 27th April 2021, 02:16

Ivory Coast suspends all driving test staff as road deaths rise. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-56888420

Lots of similarities with how licenses are obtained in India. India needs something drastic like this to happen in order to improve road safety.

gkveda · 27th April 2021, 07:26

Very brave thought. Very much required for India too.

But, given our on-road behaviour of drivers, I think, passing driving test with or without corruption is not the root cause of majority of the accidents in India.

Reason being, anyone who is behind wheels picks up driving skills to a fairly decent level if he or she drives for, say, few thousand kms. So, whether he or she has bribed the official to get DL is not of critical importance after the person drives few thousand kms.

The majority of the accidents happen today are NOT because of new drivers who have learnt driving recently. It is the experts or people who think they are experts who are major contributors to accidents.

And It is the below attitude in those experts (or perceived expertise)that causes most of the accidents

1. I am fast driver than others
2. I can control the vehicle better than others
3. My vehicle is more powerful than others. Hence, others should give way to me.
4. I have the right to use the road the way I want and others have to oblige.
5. I am the most important person on the road.

If all these attitude can be changed to exactly opposite of what is written above through some law and implementation, then 90% of the accidents can be avoided.

mvadg · 27th April 2021, 07:46

This is another unkept promise of the current ruling party. Mr Gadkari said he would shut down the RTOs and set up a new system.

https://m.timesofindia.com/india/rto...w/40383360.cms

I would say, terminate all government employees. Given the poor performance of the government in nearly all spheres, we would be completely justified. The current situation with the pandemic, the poor state of government finances is further justification.

Reagan did this with Air Traffic Controllers in the 80s
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prof...nization_(1968)

haisaikat · 27th April 2021, 16:58

Welcome and bold move by Ivory Coast, I believe making government staff accountable and responsible for their actions and policies is the key to bringing this discipline.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mvadg

This is another unkept promise of the current ruling party. Mr Gadkari said he would shut down the RTOs and set up a new system.

Probably he wanted to, but I believe where general development policy means selling off to a corporate did not fly in this case, possibly due to no takers, yet

DicKy · 27th April 2021, 19:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by haisaikat

Probably he wanted to, but I believe where general development policy means selling off to a corporate did not fly in this case, possibly due to no takers, yet

More like state governments bared their fangs for what they saw was a loss of a lucrative revenue stream and an attack on federalism. Even if he wanted, after negotiations the overhaul would end up like a GST like mess.

Not to say, such an action here would end up with protests/harthals.

I guess with increasing computerisation and online service we are surely on the right path, albeit slow. Just have to be sure there is a new uniform testing process for DLs and also hold fresh tests under the new system for old DL holders when they come in for renewal. But like anything, it all boils down to implementation.

svsantosh · 28th April 2021, 14:18

10 years ago my wife got her car DL in the following circumstances.

1) She was in the driver seat of the driving schools M800.
2) The School owner was in the passenger seat.
3) He was in possession of that days applications.
4) All his students passed, duh.
5) The mandatory 10% fail were smart rears who were walkins into the RTO without a School to back them up.
6) She must have assumed she was on her Honda Dio, because only right two wheels were on tarmac, left two wheels was 1-2 feet on the dirt track besides the road, half the car was on the road basically!

I was following them from a safe distance on my bike and was a mute witness to that excuse of the driving test!

She got her licence!

PS - She drives better than me today. But I still do not understand how a civilian can recommend the RTO inspector who is fit and who isnt. Jai Ho!

27th April 2021, 02:16	#1
deepakc BHPian Join Date: Aug 2018 Location: Rotterdam Posts: 33 Thanked: 105 Times	Ivory Coast suspends entire driving test staff to tackle corruption & increase road safety Ivory Coast suspends all driving test staff as road deaths rise. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-56888420 Lots of similarities with how licenses are obtained in India. India needs something drastic like this to happen in order to improve road safety.
	(13) Thanks

27th April 2021, 07:26	#2
gkveda Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,151 Thanked: 4,736 Times	Re: Ivory Coast suspends entire driving test staff to tackle corruption & increase road safety Very brave thought. Very much required for India too. But, given our on-road behaviour of drivers, I think, passing driving test with or without corruption is not the root cause of majority of the accidents in India. Reason being, anyone who is behind wheels picks up driving skills to a fairly decent level if he or she drives for, say, few thousand kms. So, whether he or she has bribed the official to get DL is not of critical importance after the person drives few thousand kms. The majority of the accidents happen today are NOT because of new drivers who have learnt driving recently. It is the experts or people who think they are experts who are major contributors to accidents. And It is the below attitude in those experts (or perceived expertise)that causes most of the accidents 1. I am fast driver than others 2. I can control the vehicle better than others 3. My vehicle is more powerful than others. Hence, others should give way to me. 4. I have the right to use the road the way I want and others have to oblige. 5. I am the most important person on the road. If all these attitude can be changed to exactly opposite of what is written above through some law and implementation, then 90% of the accidents can be avoided. Last edited by Aditya : 29th April 2021 at 21:13. Reason: Post title corrected
	(8) Thanks

27th April 2021, 07:46	#3
mvadg BHPian Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: KA03 Posts: 809 Thanked: 2,855 Times	Re: Ivory Coast suspends entire driving test staff to tackle corruption & increase road safety This is another unkept promise of the current ruling party. Mr Gadkari said he would shut down the RTOs and set up a new system. https://m.timesofindia.com/india/rto...w/40383360.cms I would say, terminate all government employees. Given the poor performance of the government in nearly all spheres, we would be completely justified. The current situation with the pandemic, the poor state of government finances is further justification. Reagan did this with Air Traffic Controllers in the 80s https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prof...nization_(1968) Last edited by Aditya : 29th April 2021 at 21:14. Reason: Post title corrected
	(3) Thanks

28th April 2021, 14:18	#6
svsantosh Senior - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Dubai Posts: 4,006 Thanked: 6,349 Times View My Garage	Re: Ivory Coast suspends entire driving test staff to tackle corruption & increase road safety 10 years ago my wife got her car DL in the following circumstances. 1) She was in the driver seat of the driving schools M800. 2) The School owner was in the passenger seat. 3) He was in possession of that days applications. 4) All his students passed, duh. 5) The mandatory 10% fail were smart rears who were walkins into the RTO without a School to back them up. 6) She must have assumed she was on her Honda Dio, because only right two wheels were on tarmac, left two wheels was 1-2 feet on the dirt track besides the road, half the car was on the road basically! I was following them from a safe distance on my bike and was a mute witness to that excuse of the driving test! She got her licence! PS - She drives better than me today. But I still do not understand how a civilian can recommend the RTO inspector who is fit and who isnt. Jai Ho!
	(2) Thanks