There will soon be a new shortcut to a full driver’s licence in B.C., one that doesn’t require you to drive, pass a test or even start your car. All you need to do is sit quietly for two years, park your vehicle and try not to crash anything on foot.

It’s the B.C. government’s latest innovation in road safety: you can’t fail a test you never take.

That was one scenario raised during two days of debate at the legislature over the B.C. government’s new changes to driver licensing, which scrap the second road test in favour of a two-year clean driving record.

Currently, 25 per cent of people with a novice N licence in B.C. never even bother to take their second road test. Perhaps that’s because 32 per cent of them fail it. That’s the same test the B.C. government is preparing to eliminate next year.

Under the new system, drivers who get their N and then avoid a ticket over 24 months will automatically get their full licence, whether they parked their car and put zero hours on the road or racked up 1,500 hours of actual safe driving. And nobody will check.

That one-third of novice drivers fail the second road test prompted questions Monday and Tuesday during committee stage debate at the legislature.

“So without the second exit test now, if this bill is passed, how do we ensure that 32 percent of people will not be harming or reducing our road safety?” B.C. Conservative MLA Hon Chan asked.

It fell to Solicitor General Nina........

© BIV