Czech driving test gets real with new cyclist and pedestrian questions

As road safety reform gains momentum across the EU, the Czech Republic is preparing to overhaul its driving license exams with the introduction of 24 interactive video-based questions focused on risky situations involving cyclists and pedestrians.

The new questions, scheduled to be added in mid-September, form part of a broader push by the Czech Ministry of Transport to modernize its theoretical driving tests and align with best practices seen in countries like Germany and the Netherlands.

Currently, Czech driving theory exams include over 1,100 questions. The Ministry’s long-term goal is to reach 1,500, a figure considered the European benchmark.

Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Czech Transport Minister Martin Kupka said the update represents a critical step in improving hazard recognition and reducing fatal accidents involving vulnerable road users. “Risk perception tests most closely mirror real-world traffic situations, making them far more effective than traditional text-based formats,” Kupka said.

The new questions, developed under the Hazard Perception project, are based on short video clips that simulate traffic scenarios, with applicants required to assess and react to dangers involving pedestrians and cyclists. For the first time, drone footage will also be used to provide aerial context for selected questions, marking a technical first in Czech driver education.

Police traffic specialist Pavel Fiala, who co-developed the new questions, emphasized that the additions are grounded in real-world incident data. “We’re incorporating practical knowledge from the field, what novice drivers need to know right now, not theory from 20 years ago,” he said.

The new questions are the latest in an ongoing reform that began in 2023, with updates added roughly every six months. Test-takers can preview the material on government-backed platforms such as noveotazky.cz and hazardperception.cz, where individual scenarios are analyzed alongside applicable Czech traffic law.

Roughly 100,000 people sit the Czech driving license exam each year. The theoretical component is conducted via an online system available in over 200 municipal offices, and must be passed before candidates can proceed to on-road testing.

The reforms come amid growing EU concern over cyclist and pedestrian fatalities. While the Czech Republic has made some progress in overall traffic safety, urban areas remain high-risk zones for vulnerable road users, a challenge echoed across much of Central and Eastern Europe.

According to Jiří Novotný of the Czech Driving School Association, the shift toward video-based learning reflects a broader European trend. “It’s far better for new drivers to recognize risks on a screen than encounter them unprepared in real traffic,” Novotný said. “The classic multiple-choice model is giving way to dynamic testing across Europe. This is a step in the right direction.”