Georgia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs is working on a draft law to tighten regulations on issuing driver’s licences, deputy Interior Minister Shalva Kutsishvili has announced.

Kutsishvili told local media outlet Palitra-news that the draft law would make driving tests open only to those who have studied in accredited driving schools.

The ministry also intends to introduce ‘higher standards’ for driving tests, Khutsishvili stated.

‘Our evaluation system is not so developed as to ensure it produces qualified drivers. This is a problem of both [driving] schools and our [assessment system]’, Khutsishvili said. The ministry has received reports of some driving schools preparing drivers for their tests in 3 or 4 days, he said.

The government’s official position will be announced soon, he added.

Local road safety group the Association of Transport and Roads says that the lack of regulations surrounding driving schools means that future drivers are not properly trained, creating fertile grounds for road accidents.

According to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Georgia had the highest rate of deaths from road accidents in Europe (164 per 1 million inhabitants). Twenty-four percent of road deaths in Georgia are pedestrians.

[Read on OC Media - Georgia’s deadly roads]