Fake driving schools blamed for most road accidents
A recent road safety report from the ministry of transport reveals that 3,000 deaths related to road accidents were recorded in the country in 2022.
35% was attributed to overspeeding, 17% to poor road conditions, and 10.5 % to drunk driving. According to a note from the Chinese company, Securoute, the country has lost an estimated sum of F CFA 200 billion to road accidents and more than 70 % of these accidents are a result of human errors.
In this light, the national trade union for driving schools in Cameroon has condemned the proliferation of illegal driving schools across the country and blamed them for causing many road accidents across major roads.
Actors in the sector met recently in Douala to expose some bad practices and to brainstorm on possible solutions to this phenomenon.
According to reports, these fake driving schools operate in private homes and institutions and even present candidates for examinations through these illegal schools.
According to statistics, 65% of instructors in most driving schools in Cameroon are not qualified, and the poor training they give leads to accidents.
The regional president of the national driving schools trade union, Ignace Kengne, also used the opportunity to outline the procedures for proper driving school training:
“Studies have proven that for a quality driving school program to be completed, it should consist of 20hrs of theoretical lessons and 40 hours of practicals with a fee of at least F CFA 250, 000 but they present fake documents. There are administrators among us who give out their passwords to others so candidates can be registered and through which they can get fake driving licenses without training”.
The national driving schools’ trade union is determined to put an end to the existence of these illegal schools and by so doing, considerably reduce the number of road accidents recorded each year.
