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The Directorate-General of Traffic has recently introduced changes that affect the test to obtain a driving licence, which aim to raise the quality, in addition to affecting its format and validity.

Changes in the driving test

To obtain their driving licence, future drivers must first pass a theoretical exam. In this point a new database with 15,500 questions about highway safety, regulations and efficient driving, among other matters, has been created.

A second practical exam will allow the candidate’s capacity and ability to drive on the road to be assessed. One of the novelties is the duration of this test: 25 minutes for private cars and motorbikes and 45 minutes for professionals (lorries and buses). In addition, the examiner will ask the candidate to carry out some preliminary tests on the vehicle, as stated in Appendix V of the General Regulations for Drivers, which involves knowledge of the vehicle and of the use of its technical and safety devices. Then, for 10 minutes, candidates must show how they handle the vehicle by means of autonomous driving, which will consist of going to a place indicated by the examiner following the route that they consider to be most suitable. Once this exercise has been overcome, the following block will involve driving correctly, following the examiner's guidelines.

The examiner will give an overall assessment as to whether the candidate drives efficiently and economically and whether their driving respected the environment.

When the test is over, they will be notified of the final results.

Standardisation of the format and the validity period

With the coming into effect of the Community Directive 126/2006, the validity of driving licences issued will be standardised for all the member countries of the European Union. The new driving licence is very similar to the format of the Spanish driving licence. Driving licences issued before the coming into effect of the Directive will continue to be valid until a new licence needs to be issued as a result of renewal or any other regulatory procedure.

You will find further information (in Spanish) at www.dgt.es

The diet, key in the conduction

The human body needs energy to work, and it gets that from food. This is the basis for all activity by any person. The right diet ensures good health.

A healthy diet, with fresh, quality products, will be the best fuel for them to face the day. Although it is often very difficult to get healthy food on the road, some small things can be done, such as, for example, rejecting fried foods and going for alternatives like pulses, green vegetables, fruit and fish, which are generally available to some extent on restaurant set menus.

Going for the Mediterranean diet and eating the right size portions, avoiding big blow-outs, are other measures that can be taken to achieve a healthy, balanced diet. Getting behind the wheel with your stomach empty or too full is a very bad thing because, in the first case, you will not have the necessary reserves to be able to drive attentively and safely and, in the second, your digestive system will be working flat out, taking capacity from the rest of your body and increasing the risk of the appearance of very dangerous symptoms like lack of concentration, fatigue and tiredness.