The present examination
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In order to get a driving license in Sweden, you first have to pass a paper and pencil test and then have your capacity as a driver examined in a real driving situation.
Today, the practical driving test consists of four major parts: vehicle functioning knowledge, manoeuvring of the vehicle, driving in traffic and driving under special circumstances. Vehicle functioning knowledge tests the knowledge of, for example, how the brakes of the vehicle function or how to change a tyre. The purpose of the manouvering part is to find out if the tested person is able to manoeuvre the vehicle without losing control of other traffic. While driving in traffic the examinee is expected to be able to foresee risks and adjust the driving according to those risks. The examinee shall also show consideration and be humble towards other vehicles and road-users. Driving under special circumstances tests the behaviour while driving under slippery and sometimes dark conditions. The practical driving test is conducted by an examiner from the Swedish National Road Administration. The test time of the current version is about 30 minutes.
The theoretical paper and pencil test is intended to measure the knowledge, attitudes and understanding required of a good driver. The test is closely related to the five main parts of the national curriculum for drivers' education. The curriculum is quite specific and the educational outcome is stated in behavioral terms. It states what new drivers are supposed to know, be able to do, understand, argue for, etc and how they should be able to demonstrate these abilities.
The test consists of five parts, corresponding to those in the curriculum. Three of them are general and identical for all kinds of vehicles, while the others are specific for each type of vehicle. Test time is 45 minutes. In order to pass the test, the examinee has to pass a minimum score for each of the five parts and altogether reach a total minimum score (75% of the maximum score).
The test taker can also pass the test if the score is 90% of the total maximum score, independent of the results on each part. The test is offered in six different forms (catalogues), supposed to be parallel regarding content and difficulty. The tests are randomly distributed to the examinees and the catalogues contain 40 multiple-choice items with four answer choices to each item. Many of the items are illustrated with colour photos describing real traffic situations. The number of correct alternatives differs from item to item and is unknown to the examinees. The items are scored 0 if a wrong alternative is marked and a completely correct answer is scored 1. The test has been used in this format since January, 1990. The main reason for changing the test in 1990 was that the earlier format was judged too easy and inaccurate regarding the relevant content.
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