Ministry of Transport raises new requirements for granting driving licenses in Colombia

The Ministry of Transport is seeking to tighten procedures, conditions and establish new criteria in examinations for granting driving licenses in Colombia, in order to reduce accidents.

“By establishing new training and evaluation criteria in the driver's license process, we seek to ensure that drivers have the necessary skills to travel safely on the country's roads, understanding their responsibility as a driver and being clear about their rights and duties on the roads. This new path will allow us, in the future, to reduce accident rates,” said Minister of Transport Angela María Orozco.

In accordance with the publication of the MinTransporte draft resolution, the draft resolution establishes new criteria in the evaluation process for those who need to obtain their driver's license for the first time or by recategorization.

“With new theoretical and practical exams, we seek to ensure that you complete the driver's license process for the first time or that you seek to recategorize it, have the knowledge, skills, skills necessary to drive responsibly and reduce accidents in the country,” said the director of the Agency National Road Safety, Luis Felipe Lota.

The first examination will be through a technology platform administered by the National Road Safety Agency and contains 40 selection questions of which 12 are about attitudes and 28 are about safe and sustainable mobility, traffic regulations, road signs, infrastructure and the vehicle. To pass the exam, 80% of the questions must be answered correctly.

As for the practical exam, it comprises two tests that are also connected to the platform. The first is individual skill on a track closed to vehicle traffic that evaluates the aspirant's skills to maneuver a motor vehicle. The second is carried out on public roads and evaluates the applicant's abilities to interact with other actors on the road.

According to the draft resolution, if any of the tests are not passed, they may be resubmitted 30 days after notification of the results of the examinations.

The draft resolution also regulates the Evaluation Logistics Support Centers (CALE) to support traffic authorities in conducting the theoretical and practical driving test.

Schools will obtain the registration of operation through the Single National Traffic Register (RUNT) and must be legally constituted and their corporate purpose must include the theoretical and practical driving test for obtaining and recategorizing the driving license and accrediting the registration of the commercial establishment.

They must also have the inspection certificate issued by a Type A Inspection Body accredited by the National Accreditation Agency of Colombia.

The Ministries of Culture and Traffic, the District Institute of Recreation and Sports, together with the mayor's office of Bogotá, launched a strategy to end bad parking on roads.

These actions complement the operations that have been carried out in the first two months of the year for the recovery of public space, in which 15,186 orders have been imposed for parking in prohibited areas, an offence that has also led to the immobilization of 4,463 vehicles.

And 150 Civilian Traffic Officers, Traffic and Transport Police; Mobility Guides, more than 70 cranes and clamps have been provided as temporary immobilization tools.

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