Page 1197 - Week 03 - Thursday, 18 March 2010
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Roads—driving simulators
(Question No 608)
Ms Bresnan asked the Minister for Transport, upon notice, on 23 February 2010:
(1) Has the Government given any consideration to permitting driving simulators to be included as part of learner driver training; if so, can the Minister provide information on the reason that simulation was rejected.
(2) Does the Government place any value to the driver training process, on instructing learner drivers on crisis situations using a simulator.
(3) What is the approximate cost of licensing driver simulator operators to be included in the ACT Learner Driver program.
Mr Stanhope: The answer to the member’s question is as follows:
(1) Yes. A driving simulator was investigated by my department in 2007 on invitation from the simulator manufacturer. Representatives from road transport authorities in a number of jurisdictions attended a demonstration at the manufacturer’s facility in Melbourne. The consensus view of the state and territory representatives was that the simulator at that time did not sufficiently replicate the on road feel of driving, steering and stopping a vehicle to enable consideration being given to using a simulator as a substitute for on-road licence testing.
(2) While there may be some aspects of simulator training which could be considered beneficial, for example as part of a Hazard Perception Test for providing an off-road component for teaching some skills, the Government does not believe that driving simulators examined so far are sufficiently advanced to enable them to replace on-road assessment of driver competence.
(3) There has been no cost analysis of licensing driver simulator operators as there has been no decision to mandate the use of simulators in the learner driver training process. The cost of a fixed dynamometer type simulator in July 2007 was approximately $1.2 million per bay with a transportable unit costing in the order of $600,000. There is no prohibition on any ACT driving instructor utilising a driving simulator to assist in training learner drivers providing all the mandatory components of the Competency Based Training and Assessment program are conducted and assessed on-road.
Education—teachers
(Question No 609)
Mr Doszpot asked the Minister for Education and Training, upon notice, on 23 February 2010:
How many (a) permanent full time, (b) permanent part time and (c) casual teachers are employed in ACT government schools as at 1 February 2010.
Mr Barr: The answer to the member’s question is as follows:
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