My suggestion to lower Irish Driving Test Times and increase the pass rate

by | May 22, 2025 | Uncategorized | 0 comments

Title:  How we can reduce Driving Test waiting times in Ireland and also increase the pass rate with a Re-Structure the Irish Driving Test Booking Format

I am a Driving Instructor for 15 years approximately and this is the worst the waiting times have been in that time. I believe my solution (and please read in full) has the capacity to help. I have also raised the issue with Senator Nessa Cosgrove who has brought it up in the Seanad. Video Below.

Why:  

-Currently, the waiting times are approximately 5-12 months.

– What this leads to, is a pupil completing their 12 lesson EDT programme, then applying for the test, and due to financial reasons, they often pause lessons for a long time, get a test date, do a few lessons near the test, and quite often fail.

-My idea is to allow a pupil plan their own learning window timeline and be ready to pass the test without exorbitant costs to young people already struggling with many other costs.

-Whilst some instructors would say the pupil should continue lessons, this is unnecessary and potentially a huge cost to a pupil. An average lesson in Ireland is €50 per hour. See example below.

Example 1: (Current situation for a Pupil)

-January 1st 2025: Claire Passes her theory test and gets her learner permit.

-With the current rules, she cannot sit a driving test for 6 months (something also unnecessary, let her ADI advise when she is ready for the test – we are trained after all!).

-If she does 1 lesson every week to complete the 12 driving lessons, she will have them done by the end of March (Approx).

-She can apply for the test but cannot get a test date for 3 more months due to the 6 month rule. PS. Many pupils are ready by now, but definitely not everyone.

-She has now spent €600 (approx. depending on ADI rate).

-Claire cannot afford to do lessons every week til the 6 months are up or she’d possibly spend a further €600!!!

Total potential Lesson cost: €1200

-Also, if her test centre waiting list was 5 months, she could spend a further €1000 if she did 1 lesson per week. (I do appreciate no one would do this, but even doing a lesson a few weeks apart to stay fresh, could be at least €400-500).

Total lesson cost: €1600-1700 and higher risk of failure

Example 2: (Solution)

-January 1st 2025: Claire Passes her theory test and gets her learner permit.

– With the new system, she can choose a date 6-12 months away. She pays a non-refundable fee of €85 to book her test date. (Non-refundable as the onus is on the pupil to commit and fulfil the date no matter what. Should the pupil need to cancel, the RSA keeps the fee, and  it’s budgets balanced and Claire understands the situation. She also has the option to do it the old/current way.)

-Claire understands she must still do a minimum of 12 EDT lessons and these must be completed and uploaded at least 1 month  before her test date or her fee is lost and test date is cancelled.  (this idea is to put the responsibility to learn with the pupil).

-Claire picks September 1st. 9 months away.

-Claire plans a lesson run of her 12 lessons (minimum), but realistically up to 15-20 lessons as she is guided by her instructor as to her needs, but this way there is no huge gap of 3-4 months.

Total Potential Spend: €600 – €1000 and lower risk of failure.

 

Reasoning for my solution:

-Under the current format, our waiting lists will only stay as they are or increase.

-It is increasingly difficult to get a driving instructor so people are often just taking a chance and doing the test. Yes, whilst this is not advised, the reality is people are backed into a corner of just ‘chancing it’ as they have no idea when the test will be or if they can get an instructor.

-We are literally making it more dangerous on our roads as under-prepared pupils are ‘attempting’ tests in many cases.

-I regularly get people saying “I just need a lesson to refresh myself before the test” and they may have not had a lesson for 6-12 months and they are a mile off ready for the test and this can’t be resolved in a week or two.

-Remember, the majority of pupils have no access to a car to practice in between lessons. For those that do, the long gap between lessons can sometimes be alleviated by practice at home. But those with no car are left in limbo.

-My idea allows a pupil to plan a learning schedule within a fixed window of time and as they learn with their ADI, their ADI will gauge how they are progressing and how many lessons are needed. As an instructor, you will 100% know these after 4-6 lesssons. Some people take to driving more naturally than others. We, as instructors can then guide them as to how often they need lessons.

Arguments against:

  1. Pupils should just do a lesson a week and be ready.
  2. We fear pupils would not complete their minimum 12 EDT lessons
  3. The RSA Advise all pupils to practice for 2-3 hours between lessons. So this should suffice to have pupils ready.
  4. The RSA cannot plan that far ahead.

Counter Argument:

  1. Not everyone needs 20-30 lessons so they should not be forced to. (Some are naturally better at driving, some do have cars to practice in at home. I have had pupils who could have passed their test after 5-6 lessons. We also need to encourage more study between lessons, not just driving). I have an online video course that pupils all over Ireland use, even if they never meet me, and it helps many pass their test. Pupils still need lessons, my course just complements their learning. (Check out the reviews section here: https://g.co/kgs/W5HuhRN). I’m not pitching for people to buy my course, why can’t the RSA do similar?
  2. Very simple. The current system shows the RSA when lessons are complete. We, instructors upload them, so the rule of having to complete the 12 lessons (min) 1 month before the test resolves this.
  3. La la land thinking. It would be great to have this, but this is 100% not the case for the majority of pupils. Most of my pupils have no access to a car due to the high costs of this. (Mostly ridiculous insurance costs mostly). I have regularly had pupils who have no car at home, and pass the test after 14-16 lessons. I’m doing this 15 years!
  4. How? It’s a booking system. Even currently, there are ‘X’ number of pupils and ‘X’ number of slots, just assign them and Voila, problem solved. Of course, unforeseen circumstances, (tester illness), are unpreventable, but in general, it should be a simple booking system.

Brendan Tierney is a Brand Ambassador of KennCo Insurance.
KennCo Insurance understands that getting car insurance for your first car can be challenging. That’s why they offer affordable and reliable young driver car insurance. Be sure to check out www.kennco.ie

KennCo Underwriting Ltd T/A KennCo Insurance is regulated by The Central Bank of Ireland.    #brandambassador

 

Links to articles on the situation: