Wonder no more

Egay Uy

THE Education Section of the Roads and Traffic Administration (RTA), as part of the strengthening program of educating road users, has introduced a simple test for those who apply for RTA clearance for reasons related to lost driver’s license, lost student’s permit, renewal of driver’s license, and for employment purposes.

For the two-week period from May 26 to June 7, 2016, a total of 266 tests were administered.  Not surprisingly, and which could be directly related to the problems that beset the city streets, 23 percent of those who took the 25-question test failed on their first take.

The test consists of 15 common traffic signs and 10 simple yes-or-no questions. Fourteen (or 5.2 percent) of those who failed got zero, nil, nada score. With 17 correct answers as the (lenient) passing mark, 23 percent of those who took the tests failed.

In the first week of the tests, no reviewer was provided by the RTA, resulting in a 40-percent failure.  In the second week, a reviewer was provided resulting in only 16 percent failure.

Four of those who took the tests passed in their third attempt after being instantly subjected to refreshers by the Education Section staffers.

There were quite interesting, to put it civilly, answers from those who took the tests.  A “No Parking” sign with a capital “P” and a red bar across was answered “No Police.” A sign that depicted an intersection hence showed a “cross” was answered “sementery” (referring to a cemetery because of the cross). A “No Left Turn” sign was answered “no U-turn.”

There was at least one who merely wrote his name and did not answer any of the questions. He turned in a blank answer sheet. Then another who failed that simple test allegedly admitted he paid P3,000 to a fixer to get his driver’s license.

What does this tell us?  You know the answer, I’m sure.

From June 8, 2016, we will raise the passing mark to 20 correct answers.  Those who fail will not be given clearances until they pass in subsequent attempts.

And I have given instructions to the Education Section personnel that we should be very strict in administering the tests and we should not stretch passing marks because the longer those kinds of license holders are off the road, the better for everybody.

Have you ever wondered why there is chaos out there despite the presence of RTA personnel? Wonder no more.

(Egay Uy is a lawyer who chairs city hall’s Task Force Hapsay Dalan.)