Why is passing so difficult at CBR?

Who is the CBR?

CBR is an abbreviation of “Centraal Bureau Rijvaardigheidsbewijzen”.
CBR has been given the task by the government to ensure and guarantee good traffic safety. The CBR checks whether people are fit to drive and are also medically fit to drive. But it also examines professionalism and how seriously/professionally a driver behaves in traffic.

This of course applies not only to a private car driver but to the entire logistics sector. There are about 200 known exams that are administered by the CBR.
You can go to the CBR for a driving license for cars, buses, trucks, and cabs. But also for the T license, motorcycle and moped, recreational boating, and inland shipping are all under the responsibility of the CBR.

What is the purpose of the driving test at the CBR?

The task of the CBR is to ensure safe traffic throughout the Netherlands. During the exam, the examinee must for this reason be subjected to the standard test. The standard test is the same for everyone in order to ensure safe traffic conditions. Now that you understand what CBR is and that they are responsible for traffic safety, you can understand that the exam is not given away with a packet of butter.

What is being tested?

In order to ensure road safety, you need to be tested on many components, as an examinee you will be tested on the following components, for example:

– How is the person handling the vehicle?
– Does he/she drive safely?
– Flow (understanding)
– Social driving behavior (professionalism)
– Environmentally aware driving

Of course, you also need to have knowledge of all the rules, which prevents you from getting into dangerous situations as a beginner driver. That’s why you also do a theory exam first. With the theory exam, you test your knowledge and insight into (potentially) dangerous situations.

So why is it so difficult to pass the exam at CBR?

You have to remember, as a newbie driver you learn a lot of new skills in a very short time, skills that your brain doesn’t recognize. Actions such as shifting gears and at the same time depressing the clutch at the right moment, as well as continuing to look in your mirrors while of course steering.
These are 4 relatively new actions at the same time, a beginner driver cannot yet do this on automatic pilot during the exam, which means the exam can be difficult for everyone.

Also keep in mind that normally schools have different levels of training, with the exam for your driving license no distinction is made in level.
Thus, the exam must also be difficult. The CBR knows that after getting your driver’s license (as a new driver) you still need to gain a lot of experience. In the first year after obtaining your driving license, novice drivers have a relatively high number of accidents and damage, which they cause themselves, sometimes even resulting in traffic fatalities.

CBR keeps track of these statistics (because it is their responsibility). Therefore, they are aware that the exam should not be too easy.
If you combine all the above points, you will understand why the driving test should be difficult, this is all done to ensure safety in traffic.