the driver's handbook

114
d R I V E R S A N d L I C E N S I N G
There are two methods of obtaining your licence – the
information below will help you decide which method is best
for you.
VORT method
Vehicle On Road Test
(practical driving test)
You may choose to have lessons
with a Motor Driving Instructor
Keep a record of 75 hours of
supervised driving with a qualified
supervising driver and
Undertake a practical driving test
The Driver’s Handbook
CBT&A method
Competency Based Training
& Assessment (CBT&A)
Receive training from an
Accredited Instructor
Satisfactorily complete all the
CBT&A tasks listed in the
Driving Companion and
Keep a record of 75 hours’
driving in the log book with a
qualified supervising driver
Motor Driving Instructors
There are no safety differences between drivers taught by instructors
or those taught by friends and family. A person who charges a fee
for teaching another person to drive MUST hold a driving instructor’s
licence issued by the Department for Transport, Energy and
Infrastructure. A driving instructor’s licence, which must be displayed
by the instructor at all times when instructing, is only issued after the
instructor has undergone extensive training.
Motor Driving Instructors are re-assessed at regular intervals. A Motor
Driving Instructor is able to teach you the knowledge and road craft
skills necessary to obtain your licence. Some Motor Driving Instructors
are authorised to conduct the practical driving test, or to help you
obtain your licence through the ‘CBT&A’ system. A list of Motor Driving
Instructors is available in the Yellow Pages Telephone Directory under
‘Driving Schools’.
Make sure the Instructor holds Professional Indemnity and Public
Liability Insurance, and is qualified to deliver the driver training and/or
licensing service you are seeking.
Options to qualify for your Provisional (P1) Licence
There are two ways to qualify for your provisional licence. One option is
to undertake and pass a practical driving test also known as a Vehicle
On Road Test (VORT). The other is called Competency Based Training &
Assessment (CBT&A).
Whether you select the practical test option or the CBT&A method, the
basic knowledge and skills you must achieve will be the same. Obtaining
your provisional licence will ultimately be based on your ability to
demonstrate competence in a number of selected and defined tasks.
These range from an understanding of the major controls of a motor
vehicle, completing certain slow speed manoeuvres, driving in busy
traffic and at higher speeds, observation skills, and dealing with hazards.
This system of driver assessment has been designed to be fair and
consistent. Although a demonstration of driving skills is essential, the
assessment will also examine your attitude to driving and to your fellow
road users.
During your VORT test or CBT&A lesson an Accreditation Auditor may
accompany the Instructor. The Accreditation Auditor will be there as
an observer and will not participate in the training or assessment of
your driving skills.