Qatar- Rules relaxed for GCC driver's licence holders
Date
3/26/2016 9:53:07 PM
(MENAFN- The Peninsula) Adel Salem Manager Al Rayah Driving School speaking to The Peninsula.
By Sidi Mohamed
DOHA: Expatriates holding driver’s licence from other GCC states can go directly for road test to be eligible to obtain a Qatari driver’s licence.
This privilege is available to licence-holders from the US and some European countries as well said a senior official of a driving school.
For the road test an aspirant is given only two chances to clear it.
The old rule which allowed licence-holders from other GCC countries to get their licences directly converted into Qatari licence is done away with.
The rule regarding driving licenses from countries other than those cited above hasn’t changed.
One must join a learner’s course at a driving school and take the full test if he holds driver’s license from one of such countries like India Pakistan Bangladesh Sri Lanka and Nepal for instance.
Also the demand for heavy vehicle licenses is much more than those for light vehicles due to the fact that so many infrastructure development projects are going on in the country and they need more and more heavy vehicles equipment and machinery.
Giving an idea the driving school official quoted above said his school received some 40 to 60 requests for admission on an average daily and a vast majority were for heavy vehicle training and licence.
Adel Salem manager of Al Rayah Driving School said the ongoing construction boom in Qatar was pushing the demand for heavy vehicle licensing up rather considerably.
Talking of the pass percentage he said it was roughly 70 percent in respect of both heavy and light vehicles.
About the computer test which assesses a learner’s knowledge of traffic signs and rules Salem said one could take the tests until one cleared it. However after one fails the fourth time an interpreter is made available to him. Currently interpreters are available for several languages including English Urdu and Hindi. Clearing the computer test is a must to be eligible for ‘L’ parking and road tests.
“The new training system ensures that people are more aware of road safety rules and the traffic law in general” said Salem.
The new curriculum of the driving schools is extensive and puts emphasis on promoting the culture of safe driving among learners.
“Especially as you are told about the common mistakes motorists make and then you are explained in detail the traffic law as said earlier” said Salem.
About the fee he said without citing current charges that plans are afoot to increase it. “Nothing has been decided as yet” he added.
The Peninsula