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Traffic laws ban learner drivers from practising on roads used for driving tests, but the lack of enforcement  means instructors and their students  use those roads with impunity. 
Some instructors  openly admit they advertise their use of banned roads to give students an advantage. 
'Many instructors allow their students to drive in [prohibited] zones just to impress them, by giving them a chance to practise on the test road, so they would refer friends to them,'  Chu Kong-shing, who has been a driving instructor for more than 30 years, said.  
There are 391 locations in the city where learner drivers are banned, but  instructors said it was not uncommon for learners to break the rules.  
A popular  location is Broadwood Road in Happy Valley. A big sign states that learner drivers are barred from practising there.  
But  within a 30-minute period last week, South China Morning Post reporters observed at least a dozen training vehicles  drive by;  at least half of them were driven by students, the rest by instructors. Among  them, six belonged to the Lee Kin Driving School,  one of the biggest driving schools, with more than 100 driving instructors. 
Chris Lee, its managing director, said its instructors barred students from practising in no-drive zones. 
'If you see any of our training vehicles in the area, it must be driven by an instructor,' he said. 'We do not allow students  to drive on that road.'    
Lee added:  'That is where learner drivers take their driving  exams. Very often, our instructors will drive in the area before the exam to show students what  they should do.'  
But, without commenting directly on any driving school, Chu said many instructors did more than just show students the area's layout.
He  said the section  of Broadwood Road was short, and it was tempting for learners  to practise there even if they  risked being prosecuted. 
'It takes at most 10 minutes to complete the section. When they see there are no police around, they will take the risk,' Chu said. 
A learner driver found driving on a road with the 'Learner drivers  prohabited' sign  faces a fine of HK$5,000 and  three months in prison on first conviction. A subsequent conviction  could draw a fine of HK$10,000 and  six months' jail. The instructor  is not punished. Figures for  convictions and penalties handed out were  not available yesterday.



Learners ignore signs banning them