National Pilot for Driving Education B (September 2026)
In September 2026, a national pilot will launch in the Netherlands where selected driving instructors and students will work according to the National Curriculum for Driving Education Category B (Nationaal Leerplan Rijopleiding B).
This pilot is a long-awaited, concrete step following the 2021 report by Emile Roemer, which aimed to improve the overall quality of driving schools. The Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management (IenW) is commissioning the project as part of the broader program “From Driving Lesson to Driving Education” (Van Rijles naar Rijonderwijs).
Core Goals of the National Curriculum
The program prioritizes educational quality as its core foundation, aiming to make driving school training more uniform and transparent. The main objectives are to raise the standard of Category B car training and ultimately improve road safety for novice drivers.
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Phased and Uniform Training: Students should receive the exact same foundational driving education—with the same structure, goals, and final requirements—regardless of which driving school they choose.
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Practical Insights: The pilot is designed to provide real-world insights into how a structured, phased driving education works in daily practice.
Research Design & Framework
Because this is explicitly a research-driven pilot, it is being rolled out on a controlled scale to gather data before any permanent, nationwide implementation.
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Participants: Approximately 100 driving instructors and 200 students.
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Locations: Spread across eight specific CBR (Central Office for Motor Vehicle Driver Testing) locations.
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The Exams: The standard theory and practical driving exams will remain exactly the same during the pilot. However, the Interim Test (TussenTijdse Toets) will be adapted for participating students to align better with the new pilot structure.
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Next Steps: The results will be used to guide the eventual rollout of the curriculum on a national scale. Participating instructors will receive more detailed information during briefing sessions later this month.
Key Partners
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Research Lead: The independent mobility research firm Goudappel.
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Executing Parties: The Ministry of IenW, KRV (Driving School Quality Association), BOVAG, CBR, and IBKI (the institute for certification in the mobility sector).