Given the number of road accidents occurring in the state, many of which end in fatalities, Goa is dubbed as the ‘accident capital’ of India. There could be several reasons for road accidents which includes the human factor. The human factor includes over speeding, drunken driving, distractions to drivers, red-light jumping, non-adherence to lane driving and overtaking in a wrong manner. To get a driving licence in Goa, one needs to pass both a learner's licence test and a driving test. The learner's licence test assesses one’s knowledge of traffic rules and regulations without any practical test. The driving test for a permanent licence evaluates one's practical driving skills. However a person with a learner’s licence can drive/ride on the road alongside those with permanent driving licence. There could be instances wherein those possessing a learner’s licence are responsible for an accident. It seems necessary to conduct a practical test for even those seeking a learner’s licence. There also needs to be stricter norms for issuance of a permanent driving licence. Training imparted by driving schools may include driving in various conditions like city traffic, highways, and different weather conditions.
