If your driver’s license has code 78, you can only drive cars with automatic transmission.; For driving schools, this is a limitation that entails significant economic losses, and therefore they are asking for its elimination.
numbers on the driver’s license these are standardized observations (the same for all EU countries) that reflect the restrictions and adaptations that affect both the driver and the vehicle he has to drive.
They are all included in Directive 2006/126/EC and in the General Rules for Drivers. The most common is 01, which identifies those who need glasses or contact lenses; there are many more: from those that indicate that the car must have an adapted clutch (15), to that the driver cannot carry passengers (05.03).
Code 78, the one that driving schools don’t want
If you are learning to drive and taking the test in an automatic transmission vehicle, code 78 will appear on your license after passing the test.
The disadvantage of this number is that allows you to drive only cars with automatic transmission (hybrids and electric among them); but this interferes with manual driving because the driver has not received the necessary training for this.
Those who have passed the test in an automatic transmission vehicle and wish to also drive a manual transmission vehicle must retake the test. with a car with such characteristics.
For driving schools represented in the CNAE, code 78 has a double negative effect:on the one hand, it increases the demand for tests in an already overloaded examination system; On the other hand, students naturally prefer to study and take their exam in manual transmission vehicles.“.
“At the same time, this situation means that driving schools are not interested in purchasing electric, hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles that are fully automatic.“, they say from the confederation.”Obviously, this makes it very difficult to promote the use of alternative fuel vehicles in general and electric vehicles in particular.“, they add
Other countries have already eliminated it
“We have to look at countries like Germany, Switzerland or Francewho created a system of training and testing for novice drivers, which allowed them to avoid the code 78 restriction,” explains Enrique Lorca, President of the CNAE.
“Those who receive a permit with the specified code then go through a driving school where they receive training that allows them to drive a car with a manual transmission without retaking the exam,” he adds.
According to the president of CNAE, this fact has led to a significant increase in the use of hybrids and electric vehicles by new drivers; “because thanks to the training received in driving schools, they were able to familiarize themselves with the use of charging points and experience the benefits of these vehicles“.
At the same time, driver training centers are asking “direct subsidy to driving schools from the administration so that they can purchase electric vehicles“.
This article was originally published on Autobild ES.
Source: Computer Hoy
