Mr. Raul Viladrich describes the dramatic reduction in driving licence exams in some areas of Spain, in the post lockdown period due to the spread of the Covid-19 virus.
How the reopening of driving schools is working after the lockdown in Spain?
The driving schools re opened in stage 2 from 25th of May. Both the practical classes and the theoretical classes and the exams also began in the phase 2. From the re opening nothing closed, they have been continuing to work with the new health prevention and control measures. In the theoretical classes we apply new security measures: separation of 1.5 meters and reduction of the capacity (ratio) students, and the use of masks for both teachers and students. In practical training the use of masks for instructor and student is mandatory, as well as the car disinfection after every lesson. The use of gloves is not mandatory but it is recommended for hygiene. Due to the increasing cases of covid19 during the new quarantine, in some risk zones DGT stopped examination. Otherwise driving schools could continue to work.
Are waiting time for exams very long? Can you foresee the backlog of exams can be disposed of?
DGT created a plan post Covid19 but it didn’t give a good result, in some area of Spain there is a huge waiting list and the situation is very worrying and unstable. For safety reasons theoretical exams have seen their capacity diminished. In the practical exams, the students are examined one by one, but not all the examiners have restarted to work: approximately only 50% is working. That means there are waiting lists of students to be examined. It will take months to return to the previous situation. During the pandemic, 300,000 exams have not done in Spain. Considering the other students who have come this summer, the situation is worrying.
Due to the lock down there is the risk of closing driving schools in the Spain?
More than 106 driving schools have already closed. If we don’t fix this mayor issue more driving schools will face a risk to shut down their business. After the summer, before the end of the year other driving schools will be forced to close. In many cases not for lack of students but for lack of exams.
