Driving schools and examiners got acquainted with the innovations brought by the amendment

25/10/2023Press releases

Almost 600 driving school teachers, examiners and representatives of the professional public attended the Future of Drivers' Education conference in Prague today. The professional public learnt new rules that will be in force from 1 January 2024 at this biggest event dedicated to driver education since 1989. These rules involve options for beginning drivers such as trial driving licence or the mentor-led driving scheme from the age of 17 (L17). Minister Martin Kupka also presented awards to important personalities for their long-standing contribution to Czech driver education.

Driving schools and examiners got acquainted with the innovations brought by the amendment

"From 1 January 2024, the driver education sector will see several major changes. To keep driver education and training up-to-date, we have innovations such as the L17 and the trial driving licence. We have organised today's event primarily to inform the professional public about the changes and to hear their feedback based on their first-hand experience. High-quality driver education is our common priority and responsibility," says Transport Minister Martin Kupka, adding: "We will continue to improve the education system, introducing new contemporary test questions and following successful foreign trends in this area."

The main topics of the conference were an assessment of the current situation in driving education, the specifics of young driver education, ethical aspects of teaching, legal changes effective from January 2024, the culture of driver education and the future of driving education. There were also questions to the Transport Minister and the representatives of the field and BESIP.

The representatives of the Association of Driving Schools also presented a new Manual and Application for Mentors of drivers – beginners in the L17 system. The new website autoskolal17.cz has been launched. "We are very happy for this conference, which will help driving school teachers become more familiar with the upcoming changes. The trial driving licence and the driving from 17 scheme really are a small revolution on our roads and we believe that they will significantly help improve road safety. TheAssociation of Driving Schools has prepared easy-to-read information materials to help applicants, their parents and driving schools," said Aleš Horčička, chairman of the Association of Driving Schools of the Czech Republic.

The conference was also addressed by Jan Matoušek, Executive Director of the Czech Insurance Office. "The new trial driving licence rules on preventative incentives are clearly a step in the right direction. Young drivers not only cause accidents at a significantly higher rate, but they also speed and talk on the phone while driving at a higher rate than average. And too many of them simply die. When you are between 18 and 24, you often think you are immortal. Working with young drivers in driving schools must convince them about the opposite," says Jan Matoušek, executive director of the Czech Association of Insurance Companies.

Today's conference also honoured individuals who have made a significant contribution to the quality of driver education over the last 30 years of modern driving education. The award was received from the hands of Minister Kupka by Ondřej Horázný, a chairman of the Association of Driving Schools, Bohumil Pohanka, an examiner and former vice-chairman of the Association of Examiners, Jiří Myšák, a teacher and former chairman of the Professional Association of Driving Schools, Martin Laur, director of the Vize 0 Platform, and Pavel Fiala from the Directorate of Traffic Police Services of the Police Presidium of the Czech Republic. "All of them have long contributed to the fact that the domestic driver education system is one of the most advanced in Europe," Kupka recalls.

The penalty points system will see its biggest update since its birth in 2006 at the beginning of next year. The amendment simplifies and clarifies the points system and tightens penalties for the most serious and dangerous offences. At the same time, it brings two important innovations to our roads: the possibility to drive a car from the age of 17 under the supervision of a mentor and the trial driving licence for 2 years since obtaining the first driving licence. For more information on the main changes please visit the BESIP website.