Transportation Minister Miri Regev had announced that the internal driving test, the screening step before the state road test, would be abolished on Thursday, June 18, but the ministry now appears to be signaling a delay. The test is administered by a driving school’s professional manager to decide whether a student is ready for the official exam. It costs about 150 to 250 shekels, and students and parents see it as an unnecessary expense and a way to slow progress, while instructors say it provides an important independent assessment and feedback.
Regev originally tried to remove the minimum requirement of 28 driving lessons, saying she wanted to help with the cost of living and that most students now learn on automatic cars. The proposal drew heavy criticism because many learners need more than the minimum and instructors said 28 lessons are not enough to cover the material. After that pushback, she handed the matter to the National Road Safety Authority, which opposed it and stopped the move. Regev then sought another public win by targeting the internal test, a subject also handled by her deputy, MK Uri Maklev.
The Transportation Ministry said in April that Regev had ordered the test scrapped after an internal review found it unnecessary, but it has refused to publish that review. According to a ministry circular, the test was supposed to end this week, and the booking option in the ministry system, “Barosh,” was already removed several weeks ago. In recent days, however, ministry officials have hinted the plan may be postponed.
Opponents say the change is being made without serious preparation and would weaken safety oversight. Ayelet Levin, a driving teacher, professional manager and head of the campaign against the move, called it “a dangerous political spin” that “abandons road safety.” She argued that the professional manager is the last filter before a student hits the road and that without the internal test, control over driving schools would disappear. Other instructors warned that the external tester is trained in a 160-hour accelerated course, lacks pedagogical background, and cannot replace the internal assessment. One anonymous industry source said some managers abused the system, but also warned that eliminating the test could lead to more failed road tests, each costing about 500 shekels. The ministry declined to comment.
