Dubai driving class FAQ: Minimum 40 hours or 20?

Dubai - "Applicants have different levels of learning. Not everybody learn quickly and some people need more hours to be good at driving."

Those who are planning to get a driver's license and are behind the wheel for the first time, please note: You still need to finish at least 20 hours of practical driving lessons before you can take the road test and this minimum requirement will not increase anytime soon, the CEO of Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) Licensing Agency confirmed to Khaleej Times on Monday.
Ahmed Hashem Bahrozyan, CEO of the RTA's Licensing Agency, clarified some speculations that novice drivers need to undergo 40 hours of driving before they can take the test after the RTA announced that practical driving will go up to one hour or 60 minutes, up from the current 30 minutes on the road, starting January next year.
At present, a novice learner who does not have a driving licence from any country has to take 40 classes of 30 minutes each class at a driving school. But starting next year, the lesson will become one hour. So, technically it will become 20 classes next year for beginner drivers.
Those possessing their country's licence which is 2-5 years old have to take 15 classes and those with a licence which is more than 5 years old have to take only 10 classes.
"We are not changing the number of hours required and we are not adding any cost to the learner," Bahrozyan reiterated.
In an earlier interview with Khaleej Times, Bahrozyan said: "Thirty minutes on the road is not enough so we will make it more reasonable and practical for the learner and the driving centre.
"The lesson will become one hour (per class) but we will not change the minimum number of hours required - this is more of an organisational set up.
"The minimum is still 20 hours of road driving and after completing this, the driving school will make an assessment whether or not a student is ready for the road test to be conducted by the RTA," Bahrozyan added.
He further explained: "Applicants have different levels of learning. Not everybody learn quickly and some people need more hours to be good at driving."
angel@khaleejtimes.com