The Moldovan Ministry of Information Technologies and Communication has opened a new Driver Testing Centerwith new procedures aimed at preventing the possibility of corruption in obtaining a driver’s license, as well as enhancing drivers’ professional skills to ensure safe driving. The reforms were aided by the three-country anti-corruption exchange programme organised by EASST, the Eastern Alliance for Safe and Sustainable Transport, and sponsored by the World Bank.
The new Centre has been designed with quality, security and maximum transparency as its objectives. Technical standards have been greatly improved, with 25 computer terminals and a video system which monitors the examination process via a large screen located in the waiting room.
According to Dorin Recean, Vice-Minister of Information Technologies and Communication, better driver training is vital to reduce road casualties and exclude possibility of corruption in awarding licenses – something that has been identified as a problem in Moldova. “Good driver training is very important; road safety depends on this. This system is totally transparent, so that no interference is possible.”
The center also has 2 modern cars for use in testing, equipped with cameras that record the examination process during the practical driving test. Each car has 3 cameras: one which films the examiner and the person taking the test; the second filming the road; and the third one, the dashboard. All video recordings are stored for 60 days for later use at the exam.
A further reform has added to the oversight of the examination process. Previously just one person, the Head of the local Documentation Department, had responsibility for the examination process in each district. Since 1st September at least one Committee member from a different district will also oversee exams, helping to prevent ‘cronyism’ in awarding test results.
“The whole project was designed and performed by the Ministry with internal financing. Now we are thinking of how to make it even better,” said Ilie Briciaru, Deputy Head of the Drivers’ Documentation Department, who participated in the exchange programme.
