We often ask our friends ‘how did the interview go?’, or ‘how tough was your test?’, or ‘did you memorise the entire book?’, or ‘was the examiner a tough guy?’ We ask these questions because we expect people to prepare for various examinations to ensure that they perform well. As a consequence, the outcome ensures that people are eligible for the task ahead. I find it amazing that when it comes to the crucial driving test, we don’t hear people talk about it in a similar vein.
There are millions of cars on our roads. The number of motorcycles is much higher. And if we include all types of public and private vehicles on roads across the country, the number would be staggering high. Is it not important that people take the driving test just as seriously as is the case with any other test or exam?
Back in the 1980s, my mother appeared for her driving test in the United States. She took classes, appeared for a written exam and a practical test to finally obtain a driving licence. She was rightfully proud of her hard-earned licence.
Pakistani taxi drivers in New York would tell you that driving tests were probably the toughest tests they have appeared in. Each would recall one mistake or the other that was pointed out to them by the examiners.
Ironically, almost every Pakistani who drives a vehicle owns a valid driving licence. A legitimate piece of plastic indicating the colour of your eye, blood group with a dishevelled photo of you from waiting in line at the licence office. And yet, the majority seems to be of unqualified drivers.
Worldwide, road traffic injuries (RTAs) have been recognised as a public health issue. According to a paper by public health scholars at the John Hopkins University, motor vehicle accidents in Pakistan have surpassed being a public health issue, and has become an emerging ‘epidemic’.
Apparently, police reporting and data collection in Pakistan is done solely for legal purposes and not for research and public policy targets. A study done in Karachi alone revealed due evidence of under-reporting. It also suggested that the magnitude of motor vehicle injuries and deaths may be much more substantial than is evident from official statistics.
Things can surely change if we start taking our driving test seriously; just as seriously as we take any other test in life. I look forward to the day when I would actually hear someone ask the other, ‘how did the driving test go?’
SAADIA OWAIS
KARACHI
