Police tighten noose as they issue new rules on driving permit tests, acquisition

Police have announced new rules on individual applications for driving permit tests and their issuance.

In 2021, Traffic Police announced that learner drivers have to first register and train with licenced driving schools that then present them to the force’s Inspectorate of Vehicles (IOVs) for examination as one of the ways to fight corruption.

Addressing journalists on Monday, Traffic Police spokesperson, ASP Faridah Nampiima said the entire process up to acquisition of driving permits has now been automated.

“The new development at IOV is that we have automated drivers’ testing process. Effective this month, attaining learners driving licence at the learners’ centre was automated and booking of the learners’ testing is done online by driving schools and all learners are brought by school instructors for testing,” Nampiima said.

Apart from being responsible for inspection of all vehicles, the IOV also tests learner drivers to qualify them to get driving licences.

Nampiima said that learner drivers can longer walk to the IOV to book or to be tested but rather book online by the driving school and a session is scheduled and then brought by the instructor.

“At IOV, you are supposed to do online exams which can even be loaded on the phone of the learner. The exam is auto and when you do it, the system automatically marks you. There will be no more instructors testing people to pass testing exams to attain driving licences.”

According to police, the pass mark for the online driving exams is 75 and those who will have failed will not proceed to have the practical exams and whoever fails, returns to the driving school to do the entire process afresh.

“When you pass with 75% and above in the online theory exam, you qualify to be tested for the practical driving and if you pass it, your data is entered into the system and sent directly to Uganda Driver Licensing System (UDLS). Whoever fails, your name will not be forwarded to UDLS to acquire a driving permit,” Nampiima said.

The new automated process means that whoever their name has not been forwarded by the IOV to the Uganda Driver Licensing System will not be issued with a driving permit.

The Traffic Police spokesperson said the move is aimed at reducing corruption and ensuring efficiency.

“With the move, UDLS will be in position to know even the number of people it expects to get driving permits. This is how we will fight accidents but getting unqualified drivers off the road,” ASP Faridah Nampiima said.