Driving schools in Russia

Driving license in Russia

Main article: Driving license in Russia

History

2023

Only 11% of candidates passed their driving test the first time

In 2023, in Russia, only 11% of candidates passed the practical driving exam the first time. This was announced at the end of March 2024 by the head of the department for organizing registration and examination activities of technical supervision and the provision of state services of the State traffic inspectorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia Roman Mishurov.

According to him, in 2023, 30% of potential drivers passed the theoretical driving test the first time. In addition, the number of citizens who did not pass the theory on the fourth or more attempt has noticeably increased. So, if in 2020 there were about 5% of those who passed, and by 2023 - already 7.6%. If we talk about the practical part of the test, then 16% of Russians failed four or more attempts.

We see that the quality or maybe the attitude to the exam, unfortunately, not everyone has what it should be... And in the end, we get this guy who passes, who do not give people who came for the first time and prepared, calmly pass the exam, - summed up Roman Mishurov, adding that for this reason it was decided to increase the period for retaking exams to six months after three failures.

On April 1, 2024, the procedure for passing the exam for obtaining a driver's license will change in Russia. Thus, the period of retake for those who did not pass driving after three or more attempts has increased, and the number of penalty points for successful completion of the practical exam has been increased from 5 to 7. In addition, the instructor was allowed to sit in the second front seat while the student of his driving school passed the exam. The passenger seat behind the duplicate pedals during the exam will be allowed to occupy not only the inspector, but also the representative of the driving school. However, he will not be able to help the student - the car must have not only a camera in the cabin, but also a warning signal for influencing additional pedals.^[1]

Reducing the number of driving schools to 7.2 thousand.

By the end of 2023, there were 7.2 thousand driving schools in Russia against 7.54 thousand units a year earlier. This is evidenced by the traffic police data published at the end of February 2024.

According to statistics from the State Traffic Inspectorate, in 2023 the total number of exams for obtaining driver's licenses decreased to 6.93 million from 7.06 million in 2022. On the first attempt, 36% of citizens passed the theoretical exam, and the practical part of the exam was 12%. The last indicator was the result of tightening the rules for passing exams in 2021, the Kommersant newspaper reports.

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It is expected that in 2024 driving schools in Russia may be even less than in 2023. All due to tightening requirements for them. According to the newspaper, from April 1, 2024, all these organizations are required to have a traffic police conclusion on the compliance of classes, cars, sites, simulators, literature with established standards. Without this document, driving school graduates will not be allowed until the exams.

Licenses are issued to driving schools Rosobrnadzor after the traffic police once checks their training programs and educational and material base and issues an indefinite conclusion. After checking, some driving schools, out of economy, conduct online training or arrange classes on unequipped sites in the courtyards, and the traffic police are limited in their actions due to gaps in the legislation.

This initiative was supported by the Ministry of Education and Rosobrnadzor, and the Ministry of Economic Development opposed due to the fact that the new powers of the traffic police may coincide with those already held by Rosobrnadzor.

According to Tatyana Shutyleva, President of the Interregional Association of Driving Schools, tightening licensing requirements will remove "gray" organizations from the market, which in fact have neither sites, nor classrooms, nor teachers. According to her, the previously existing gap allowed them to dump, teaching them on illegally reduced, and therefore cheaper programs.^[2]

The number of driving schools decreased by 15% in 2 years

By March 2023, there were 5,960 driving schools in Russia, which is 15% less than two years earlier (about 7,000). This is evidenced by the data of the analytical service Kontur. Focus. "

Mikhail Borodachev, general director of the AvtoDriver driving school, told Izvestia that by April 2023, the driving school sector is going through difficult times due to sanctions, the departure of foreign concerns, as well as an increase in prices for cars and components.

The number of people who can afford training has decreased. Fewer students - less revenue, and we have to pay for renting premises, servicing cars. Driving school is a self-sustaining business, there is no funding from the outside, "he said.

The expert stressed that the cost of renting premises rose by 30%, and car maintenance - by almost 40%. The logical way out of the situation is to increase prices for services, but this is not easy to do. The cost of training for category "B" is 45 thousand rubles, and for comfortable work, schools must raise the price to 60 thousand rubles.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs (Ministry of Internal Affairs) told the publication that in 2022 672 driving schools issued a conclusion on the compliance of the educational and material base with the traffic police, in 2021 such a conclusion was issued 764 driving schools. It is noted that this document is issued to driving schools every five years, without it work is impossible.

The closure of organizations is not so critical, said Vladimir Fedorov, ex-head of the traffic police of the Russian Federation, retired police lieutenant general, in a conversation with Izvestia. In his opinion, intervention states in the solution of this issue is not required.

This issue can be solved by the joint work of public organizations and the business community. For example, the same DOSAAF still carries a lot of weight in this area, "he told the newspaper.[3]

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