Illegal driving schools mushrooming in Peshawar
Peshawar: Around 30-40 illegal driving schools have been operating in the provincial metropolis. Such institutions are producing drivers without proper driving education and training.
A traffic police official said that there are only four registered driving schools in Peshawar including Sarhad Motor Driving School, New Sarhad Motor Driving School, Atif Motor Driving School and Government Motor Driving School, Charsadda Road.
"During General Ziaul Haq's rule, a directive was issued which said that all those applying for driving licence should produce a training certificate from a registered driving school, but it is not clear what happened to that directive," he said.
He said that nowadays traffic police issue driving license to all no matter their driving certificates are issued by registered or unregistered institutions.
He said that according to Section 23 of the Motor Vehicle Rules, all the driving schools should be registered with traffic police and should be properly equipped and have trained trainers.
"These schools should have to deliver comprehensive lectures on traffic signs and rules," he said.
Atif of Atif Driving School at University Road said that driving schools are registered with the traffic police at Central Police Office (CPO). They need to have vehicles, qualified trainers and other facilities.
He said that a trainer must have experience of seven years before he imparts training to other drivers or experience certificate from some organisation. He said that unregistered driving schools are creating problems for them as they charge less than the registered schools.
Principal Government Motor Driving School, Charsadda Road Ayaz Khan said that their school was set up on 80 kanals of land with a model room while a number of vehicles including cars, pick-ups and buses were available there. They took tests from the aspiring drivers during their training.
"During the first week, we train them about the basics and in the second week, in-house driving practice session starts before the trainee comes on the main roads," he said.
He said that they charge around Rs 3000-3200 for six-week comprehensive training and most of their trained people get driving licenses without any problem.
He said that they train around 1500 people annually and traffic police also use their facilities thrice a week for taking driving test of those who apply for driving license.
About the unregistered driving schools, he said that most of these were operating in single room and had only one vehicle. They train people on main roads and issue them certificate within 15 days.
"People trained by these unregistered schools are main cause of growing traffic mishaps as they issue certificates for money without imparting proper training about driving skills and traffic rules and regulations," he added. Daily Times