Sunday, December 22, 2024

Major change for NSW drivers on the horizon

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People applying for their learner license will now be able to sit the test in the comfort of their own home — or anywhere else with internet access.

Major changes to the Driver Knowledge Test (DKT) have been announced by Transport NSW as part of a commitment in the 2026 Road Safety Action Plan, which aims to deliver more modern and accessible learning experiences to drivers.

Transport for NSW Deputy Secretary, Sally Webb, said the changes were intended to better suit the way aspiring drivers learnt.

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“We know that learning has changed over the years and this new digital, accessible and interactive product is a reflection of how people learn today,” Webb said.

Similar products for learner drivers have already had success in Queensland, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania.

Webb said taking the test from home offered easier access to people who were in regional or remote locations and may not live close to a Service NSW Centre.

The changes also implement “text to speech functionality” which makes the product accessible for people with low literacy or dyslexia.

People can now take the test as many times as they require to pass it, while only paying a fee of $55 once they head into a Service NSW Centre to apply for their learner licence and have their photo taken.

“It provides a cost benefit because the test can be taken as many times as needed to pass,” Webb said.

“Most importantly, it is an engaging way for people to learn about the road rules and safe driving behaviour, which forms the foundation of how they drive once they are on the road.”

Service NSW assistant executive director, Lauren Nagel, said the changes were also designed to make it easier for customers to interact with government.

“By going online, this means students don’t need to miss out on school or extracurricular activities to visit a Service Centre to complete the test,” Nigel said.

“If customers are unsuccessful passing, learners won’t have the hassle of organising another visit to a Service Centre and trying to find a time that works with parents or guardians to drive them there — they can simply try again at home.”

The service is also intended to help ease the load on service centres and reduce the number of people coming in-store to take the test.

“This will also free up our Service NSW team members to dedicate their time to other critical transactions,” Nigel said.

Service NSW is expecting about 200,000 customers to complete the DKT online over the next 12 months.

The Driver Knowledge Test online is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

People can access the tests as young as 15 years and 11 months, and once passed, they can visit a Service NSW Centre on their 16th birthday to apply for their learner driver licence.

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