Conference at Brussels: new driving licence

New categories of driving licence for motorcycling are coming into force in the EU. The new law which has to be finalised by all 27 countries by the end of the year will come into force in 2013. The conference was a partnership event conducted by CIECA, ACEM, the motorcycle industry association for Europe, FEMA and the FIM. The afternoon session was devoted to detailed analysis of the problems faced by EU countries in bringing this new law into force according to the choices offered by the EU process.

CIECA - International Commission for driver testing - last year launched a competition to seek new ideas on rider training. Results were announced at a conference in Brussels on 6 May. The winners were selected from all the entries received by the ifz, the famous German institute for two wheeled safety. The exercises devised by the winners were demonstrated to a group of experts from across the EU.  

The first place was awarded to Wolfgang Stern from the avp-Institut für angewandte Verkehrspädagogik e.V. The exercises developed by the winner consist of two stages, a theoretical analysis and then a practical one related to an emergency. Students are first required to make a selection of their preferred course of action in an emergency which is outlined to them. Out on the training ground they find that the only solution is an emergency braking manoeuvre, although in the classroom they may have made another selection! This exercise therefore introduces a greater element of realism that appealed to the judges. Suzuki awarded a prize of a new scooter for use in the institute. FIM donated a prize of AX0 clothing.

The FIM also awarded a second place prize to the Liikenneturva Central Organization for Traffic Safety in Finland and a third place prize went to to Stevie Gregson, from the Driver & Vehicle Agency, in Northern Ireland.