Most new drivers in B.C. will no longer have to pass a second road test to earn a full Class 5 driver’s licence under changes to the province’s Graduated Licensing Program taking effect this fall.
Beginning Oct. 19, eligible Class 7 novice drivers with a clean driving record will instead be assessed based on their driving history before advancing to a Class 5 licence.
The province said the assessment will determine whether drivers have met the minimum driving experience requirements and maintained a safe driving record during the novice stage.
A record of unsafe driving behaviours, including convictions for excessive speeding or using an electronic device while driving, will result in drivers restarting the novice stage.
Drivers who pass the driving record assessment will then enter a new 12-month restricted period, during which they must maintain a zero blood-alcohol and drug level while driving and will face increased scrutiny for traffic violations.
The province said research shows long-term driving behaviour is as reliable an indicator of road safety as a road test.
ICBC spokesperson Greg Harper said evaluating a driver’s record over an extended period provides a better picture of how someone drives than a single road test.
“A road test is 35 minutes of time where you need to demonstrate you’re a good driver,” Harper said. “This new GLP will be looking at how people drive after they pass their road test. Are they demonstrating they’re a safe driver?”
Harper said B.C. is one of the last jurisdictions to require a second road test, noting Ontario, Australia and New Zealand are the only others that still use the model. He said New Zealand also plans to eliminate its exit test.
Harper said the changes are also intended to improve access to licensing for people in rural communities, where travelling to complete a second road test can be more difficult.
Beginning Oct. 19, drivers 25 and older will complete a nine-month learner stage followed by a 12-month novice stage before becoming eligible for a Class 5 licence with restrictions.
Drivers younger than 25 will still be required to complete a 12-month learner stage and a 24-month novice stage, which can be reduced to 18 months with ICBC-approved driver training.
Other changes being implemented include lowering the age of consent to apply for a driver’s licence from 19 to 18, introducing an immediate-family exemption to passenger restrictions and expanding access to driving record assessments through Service BC offices, driver licensing agents and ICBC offices.
The province said drivers currently enrolled in the Graduated Licensing Program will receive letters from ICBC later this year explaining how the changes affect them.
