South Meath Driving School

Most parents will tell you their children are never reared. When the kid arrives at 17 a whole new plethora of expense begins, from finding a job to 3^rd level fees to learning to drive.

In learning to drive, there are many considerations to hand especially in the area of websites and advertising.  Where to find this information and assessing it is another kettle of fish. Here I am going to outline what South Meath Driving School have to offer the student driver and compare it to that of one of the larger commercial companies such as Aviva. This involves driving lessons fees, its wider involvment for parents and car insurance aspects.

As stated on my website, my fee for a driving lesson this year is 30euro per hour or 360e for the Essential Driver Training programme of 12 compulsory lessons. In certain circumstances, the fee is 25e per lesson. While the lessons are per one hour, invariably an hour turns into 70 or more minutes ( the extra being free gratis.) Thus at the end of the 12 hour programme, the student has had the equivalent of at least 14 lessons in time. An important aspect for the parent is that their time or further expense is rarely involved in a lesson. Reason being that I meet the student at his/her own house and bring them back at lesson’s end – that’s if they live within a few or more miles of Trim town.

My car is a modern dual controlled, easy to operate and I’m Road Safety Authority qualified, with nine very successful years in the trade.

When a student first acquires a learner permit, s/he cannot undergo a driving test for at least six months. Driving lessons can be spread over that time, giving the student plenty of time to practise with a parent or other sponsor in between lessons. Of course I recommend that such practice sessions should not commence until three or four lessons have been delivered, in case of causing damage or injury. Getting such young person insurance at that early stage is unwise unless there’s plenty of cash to spare. Quotes of 3,000.00e and more are common. One would need to be using it to its fullest capacity. A learner cannot. So, why not just practise in areas off road where insurance is not required, such as a farmyard, private laneway or sections of closed roads etc. As the Cavan man sayeth, ‘Progress slowly.’

After ten lessons, I give the student a certificate to that effect and they can then get their own insurance cover with a particular company, nominated by me, at a price that is very attractive compared to any other quotation, probably. Of course there are terms and conditions. That would depend, inter alia, on age, type of cover sought etc. This sets the student up for their future in independent insurance cover without being a burden or risk to a parent’s own insurance. It must be remembered that where a parent adds their child as a named driver, they risk losing their own no claims bonus in the event of a claim on the part of such named driver.

Then compare the above plan with that of Aviva or other parties.

Driving lessons and insurance cover are in the deal. This is how it works. The driving instruction and motor insurance cover is a six month contract. Take John who applies for driving lessons for his son James who has acquired his first Learner Permit. James is given ‘free’ insurance for six months on the following terms. John must first take out his own car insurance with Aviva. (Should John already have insurance cover with another company, he must take out new cover with Aviva in any case in order to initiate his sons programme for driving lessons. John may now be doubly insured.) This new cover costs John about 500e. The 13 hour driving lessons will cost 499e. That’s 999euro which must be paid forthwith. James will still not get insurance cover until he has done his first lesson. So, he’s covered for the remainder of the six months.  James is a named driver on his father’s insurance now and cannot drive unless accompanied by the principal insured, his father. Should John live in, say, Trim or Longwood or Ballivor, he must accompany James to an assigned meeting centre such as Navan or Mullingar. He has to wait out the hour while James is undergoing his lesson. Therefore, for those 13 lessons the father has been engaged for a duration of 13 hours plus driving time of some six hours to and from the centre: that being a total of up to 20 hours in time alone, plus fuel and running costs. Remember the old saying, ‘I’ll give you a pound but not my time!’

Compare that aspect alone to South Meath Driving School where James was collected at his door and left home, paid 30 euro after each lesson and the father didn’t have to give up a minute of his time.

Should James be unable to fulfil an appointment with Aviva for his lesson, he must give 48 hours notice. Otherwise he will forfeit his prepaid fee. Would the South Meath School do that – not on your nanny.

Vouchers are issued for the taking of driving lessons usually within one year. Aviva’s vouchers are void after the year is up. South Meath will honour a voucher beyond the expiry date (within reason), albeit for a small additional charge if it’s an extended period.

And after those 13 lessons with Aviva, James will pay 40 euro for any further lesson; he is no longer insured and daddy must drive him to the centre and pass another boring hour alone. If James wants further insurance cover at this stage, he will have to reapply. On request, Aviva could not give me an answer as to what the cost might be or if there would be a reduction in the circumstances.

The above is based on what people have told me and on checking Aviva’s website.

In a word, with South Meath Driving School it’s 360euro (spread over six months) for the learner for the full EDT programme with little or no time usage from another family member; with Aviva it’s 999euro upfront, plus about 20 hours involvement of parent, plus running costs of a car to/from the particular centre. I rest my case.

The Road Safety Authority (RSA) and An Garda Síochána are urging motorcyclists, scooter and moped users to bike safely on the roads this summer following an almost 70% rise in motorcycle rider fatalities (up from 16 to 27) in 2013.To date, 2 motorcyclists have died on Irish roads in 2014.

The appeal is being made ahead of the May Bank Holiday Weekend as both the RSA, and An Garda Síochána are extremely concerned that the high casualty rate among motorcyclists could be repeated this summer. There were almost as many motorcyclists as pedestrians killed in 2013, a trend not previously observed, as pedestrian fatalities have typically been significantly higher than motorcyclist fatalities to date. The RSA and An Garda Síochána are asking motorcycle riders to be aware of their vulnerability on the roads as research shows that motorcyclists are three times more likely to be killed on Irish roads than in any other EU country.

A provisional analysis of motorcycle deaths last year by the RSA & An Garda Síochána shows that there were four main factors behind these deaths:

1. A motorcyclist overtaking a vehicle turning right, resulting in the motorcyclist colliding with the side of the turning vehicle
2. A motorcyclist, while overtaking, colliding head on with an oncoming vehicle
3. A motorcyclist losing control while cornering and crossing into the path of an oncoming vehicle or colliding with a pole, or wall on the other side of the road
4. A driver failing to see a motorcyclist when turning, driving through a junction or joining a main road from a minor road and colliding with the motorcyclist.

A collision with a car ahead turning right was a particular problem resulting in nine fatalities alone last year. The vast majority of motorcycle fatalities last year took place in the Dublin and greater Dublin area (Counties Dublin, Meath, Kildare and Wicklow).

In 16 of 22 fatalities, the motorcyclist was familiar with the local area. Also, in the majority of cases the weather was dry, the road surface was also dry, and the conditions were daylight with good visibility.

Advising road users ahead of the bank holiday Mr Leo Varadkar T.D., Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport said, “Riding a motorbike can be an incredible experience and it gives a great sense of freedom. But motorcyclists are also among the most vulnerable road users. Going full throttle represents a danger to others, and above all to yourself. Your attitude is absolutely critical in determining the likelihood of having a crash, so be bike safe this summer. Drivers also have a responsibility to always look out for motorcycles, and all motorists should look once for cars and twice for bikes.”

Advising motorists and motorcyclists Mr. Michael Rowland, Director, Road Safety Authority said, “As drivers we need to pay more attention and be constantly on the lookout for motorcyclists, in our blind spots at junctions and especially when turning right. Motorcyclists should be extremely careful when overtaking and when taking bends. While mandatory lessons are now required for anyone learning to ride a bike nowadays, there are many who have never received any training. They’ve learned to ride from the ‘fall off your horse, just get back up on it again’ school of learning. Regardless of your experience, or how long you have been biking, I would urge anyone who has never received any formal motorcycle training to do so with one of the many Approved Motorcycle Riding Instructors around the country. A list can be found on rsa.ie.”

Some handy safety tips for motorcyclists, scooter and moped users include:

• Motorcyclists, moped and scooter-users are among the most vulnerable of our road-users. You don’t have the protection of a car so investing in proper Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) is a must.
• Helmets must be worn at all times and must be securely fastened. Clean your visor gently with warm soapy water. Replace it if it is scratched.
• Jackets and trousers should offer adequate protection against impact and abrasion.
• Body armour on exposed areas such as the back, knees, elbows, shoulders, hips and shins should be adjustable so it fits snugly and does not move in a crash.
• A good reflective jacket should be worn and will make you more visible on the road, increasing your profile.
• Always wear protective gloves and footwear that at least comes over the ankle. Use ear protection on long journeys.
• Always service your bike regularly and maintain it in good condition especially tyres, brakes, etc.

At the fingertips of practically every young person is a hoard of information on how to go about taking the various steps to acquiring a full driving licence. The ‘Website,’ in a word. In that line up of information, you will be taken along the road of landmarks to the desired conclusion – all at the click of a mouse.  Nearly every house possesses a PC (personal computer), or alternatively go to your library where access should be available.

The various steps to your Driving Test: website address is <www.rsa.ie >

The Theory Test –

This  test is designed to check knowledge of topics such as:

• Rules of the Road
• Risk perception
• Eco-driving
• Hazard awareness
• Good driving behaviour

The test is computer-based but, like the fast check-in kiosks at airports, is designed for those who have little or no experience of using computers as well as those who do.

You will have a chance to take a practice session on the day before starting on the actual test. If you have special needs please contact the Driver Theory Service and explain your requirements.

Driver Theory Service contact:
1890 606 106 (English language)
1890 606 806 (Irish language)                     The fee is 45 euro.

Book on line at > www.theorytest.ie <

Learner Permit –

If you are applying for your first learner permit you must:

• Include a theory test certificate for the relevant category along with your learner-permit application, unless the certificate has already been submitted .
• Present the certificate within two years of the date of issue (date of passing the test).

From the 4th April 2011 all new first time learner permit holders for cars will be required to undertake mandatory essential driver training (EDT)   with an approved driving instructor (ADI). The course is made up of 12 individual one hour lessons. The learner will be able to take the lessons at any point during the learning process and can practice with an accompanying driver during the time while taking lessons. Evidence of completing the lessons will be signed off in a learner’s logbook by the Approved Driving Instructor.

In addition, a number of penal offences have been introduced for learner drivers. These include driving unaccompanied, not displaying ‘L’ plates when driving, and the carrying of a passenger by a learner motorcyclist.

To minimise any potential delays, we strongly recommend that you carefully review the list of documents required when applying for a learner permit or full licence before you attend one of the NDLS centres as not having the correct original documents could mean your application can’t be processed. The list of acceptable documents is available on the RSA website

The Road Safety Authority advise that Licensing laws across the EU require that, to be entitled to a Licence, you must be ‘normally resident’ in the country granting the licence. This rule has not changed in recent times. Applying that rule on the ground, the term ‘normally resident’ is generally considered as the place where a person usually lives, for at least 185 days in each calendar year, because of personal and work ties, or, in the case of a person with no work ties, because of personal ties which show close links between that person and the place where he or she is living.

In 2008, the unemployment rate was around 5% and immigration was double the number emigrating. Meanwhile, the unemployment rate is 13% and the annual emigration rate has increased by 350 percent. But, as Stan Laurel used say, things are never as bad as they seem as a high percentage of those leaving were foreign, Furthermore, a happier figure for a twelve month period of 2011/12 was that while 46,500 Irish left our shores, 20,600 returned.

With such numbers on the move, Irish holders of a Driving Licence should keep in mind the expiry date, especially those who might be returning home some years hence. (See ultimate paragraph.)

Where a person is working abroad on a fixed term contract or attending a college or university generally they can be thought of as resident in Ireland providing they have and can demonstrate their personal ties here.

In 2008, the unemployment rate was around 5% and immigration (inward movement) was double the number emigrating. Meanwhile, the unemployment rate is currently 13% and the annual emigration rate has increased by 350 per cent. But things are never as bad as they seem as a high percentage of those leaving were foreign. Furthermore, a happier figure for a twelve month period of April 2011/12 was that while 46,500 Irish left our shores, 20,600 returned.

If a person is currently abroad s/he must show that the conditions above are met and provide the necessary evidence showing;

If working: A letter from an employer stating that s/he is working on a fixed term contract / placement

If studying: Correspondence from the College/ University confirming the title and duration of the course s/he is studying

Evidence of being ‘normally resident’ in Ireland: this could be by way of the person’s address on a recent utility bill, a statement from a financial institution, correspondence from a State Department or Agency.

If entitlement is established, the driving licence will be posted to the person’s Irish address. A special application form must be completed which is available on request from the Road Safety Authority, Primrose Hill, Dublin Road, Ballina, Co. Mayo – telephone +353 (0) 96 78271. An email request for an application form can be made to licensingqueries@rsa.ie giving the Irish postal address to which the application form will be posted. A copy of your passport and two passport photographs will need to accompany an application.

If an Irish licence expires while a driver is resident abroad the entitlement to a licence remains in place for 10 years from the date of expiry. This means that the licence can be renewed within that period without undergoing theory test or driving test requirements. In the case of a learner permit the entitlement remains for a period of five years.

Provisional road crash statistics for 2013, which have been published by the Road Safety Authority (RSA), shows that for the first time since 2005, road traffic fatalities have increased on Irish roads. A total of 189* people have lost their lives on the roads in 2013, compared to 162 in 2012, representing a 17% rise.

Gay Byrne, Chairman, RSA, said, “We have consistently warned that the greatest danger we face on the roads is complacency and, unfortunately, in 2013 we have as a society, dropped our guard. As a result we have managed to kill 27 more people this year compared to last. It’s a stark way to put it but it’s the truth. It represents a very worrying development and highlights the need for all road users to be more vigilant.”

Mr. Byrne added that, “We must get back on track and reverse the increase in deaths. This means all agencies responsible for road safety must push harder to implement all 144 actions contained in the new Government Road Safety Strategy, which was launched earlier in 2013. But critically it means that all of us must accept greater responsibility by becoming custodians and champions for safety on the road. By doing this we can save lives and prevent injuries.” Then, what a start there was to this year with the horror crash in Mayo: two more young lads gone to their reward at 4am.

Of real concern is the number of vulnerable road users killed. One third of those who died were a pedestrian (30), a cyclist (5) or a motorcyclist (27). Closer examination of pedestrian fatalities shows that a significant proportion of fatalities were aged 50 plus. A high proportion of pedestrian fatalities occurred while crossing the road.

Of significant concern is the fact that nearly twice as many motor cyclists died in 2013 compared to last year. 27 lives were lost among this group compared to 16 in 2012.

Referring to the impending Road Traffic Bill, 2014, the Transport Minister added that, “This new Road Traffic Bill is the third piece of Road Traffic legislation that this Government has approved since coming to office. The Bill introduces reforms for driving licences which will create a new class of Novice driver, and will allow testing for intoxicated driving, including drug driving. It also provides for the addition of new penalty point offences and an increase in points for certain road safety offences such as mobile phone use and non-seatbelt wearing. I am confident that these new road safety measures will go some way towards improving road safety in 2014.”

Gay Byrne fired a volley over the bows of the Justice Department and the Gardai relating to the advertised checkpoint saturation for December and Little Christmas. He says he saw none. I saw none and on the week-end before Christmas I did a return drive to that little part of Connaught which is east of the Shannon. In a recent AA survey of 26,000 motorists, 72% felt that the Garda presence on the roads had reduced. And, if it didn’t, we are seeing phantoms in uniform. One simple statistic bears out the reality that the Garda Traffic Corps has recently reduced in number from 1,200 to 800 and falling.

Jim Cusack of the Sunday Independent points to the lesser effect that checkpoints are probably having, because of the era of smart technology in which we now live. Once a checkpoint is set up this ‘bush telegraph’ has the news spread far and wide within ten or 15 minutes, he contends. Of course such roadblocks are useful for many other aspects of policing like vehicle roadworthiness, insurance etc. The mere presence of Gardai on the roads is very significant as I outlined in a story from Australian policing, na bliana seo caite.

So, the conclusion most are drawing is that we are back to complacency with a little carelessness thrown in.

Sadly, that’s the way a minority of motorists think. They simply think it’s only the Gardai who can catch them misbehaving –  oh, no, not  the ambulance driver or surgeon’s scalpel, not to mention Heffernan’s  or Smith’s resting places.

Have a peek at motorcyclist figures – 27 dead, up from 16 in 2012. I’m not surprised as few of them comply with any law of the road. They consistently break speed limits, have a compulsion to overtake everything, sometimes on the hard shoulder and they never keep in queue.

I have to agree that enforcement is just not in existence: a common offence of parking against the flow of traffic is as common as parking with the flow. It’s one area that causes serious problems when emerging and trying to cross to the left side; this gets even worse at night time. It’s never enforced. The routine use of foglights is another thorn in the eye: and trundling through hatched areas is a must for practically all, it seems.

Drivers should remember what our ‘Dear Leader’ Albert R. said in the Dail – “You cross the big hurdles but it’s the little ones that will trip you up!”

He had contributed handsomely to the peace agreement in N.I. in ’94 and then, just a few months later, he was standing down as Taoiseach over a simple extradition warrant of a paedophile priest.

Let the driver beware.