Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Sir: Phil Sparks is quite right about the need for higher driving standards (letter, 7 October). Almost nobody drives as if they were doing what they actually are, which is taking part in a collective exercise in transportation. Driving education and testing should include the ability to co-operate in forming steady traffic flows, avoiding overtaking, giving way to vehicles entering from side roads, and so on.
Education and testing should continue throughout a driver's career. A test that not only had to be retaken every few years, but was graded in percentage points, would encourage drivers to keep improving their personal standard. In the early years a requirement that there should be an improvement in score between the initial test and second test would impose the need for young drivers to be aware of their limitations, in the knowledge that if they did not correct them, they would have to revert to a provisional licence.
There are obstacles to a rational driving test policy. One is the perception in the Government that wilfully bad drivers will all vote against it in the next election if they are clamped down. The other, I suspect, is that too many MPs are themselves wilfully bad drivers.
C PADLEY
Market Rasen, Lincolnshire
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments