South Meath Driving School

When one looks at another’s misfortune, it can help to lessen one’s own. Consider the poor lady from South Korea who attempted the Driver Theory Test every day it was up and running for the past four years, eventually succeeding on the 950^th effort! She’s probably much better behind the wheel. One punter passed the driving test here in Ireland recently after fourteen attempts.

The pass rate in Navan is 58%, Nenagh 69% and Rathgar 42%. An applicant can apply for any test centre of choice, so wouldn’t you be slightly inclined to avoid Rathgar. When the SGS (Swiss Co.) were employed here to help clear the backlog of 420,000 applicants a few years ago, there was a feeling that their testers had a slightly softer attitude than the RSA testers. It was pointed out on RTE that in the same town the RSA pass rate was about 20% lower than that of the SGS from another office block up the street. Maybe only a coincidence!

A supervisor at the Navan centre has said that standards have dropped of late and this has been noted by the testers generally. It was considered that this might be down to the economic times that were thrust upon us over the past three years.The new Mayo machine in Leinster House will change all that, so relax. The feedback certainly was that people were not taking as many driving lessons as heretofore; therefore, they were not properly prepared for a test.

Preparation for the Test is a serious undertaking that requires dedicated preparation and time. There’s no quick fix involved and it’s merely throwing good money after bad to take the short route. One should remember that the benefits of passing are a high financial reward in a vastly reduced insurance premium and the comfort of driving without the restrictions of carrying an L plate.

The waiting time in Navan is at present is about one month, so those who have applied already will soon have an appointment date. Having got a date, it is important to get out on the road and not to lose the show in the ‘boardroom.’ For it is the little things that can be overlooked when the moment of truth is nigh. The Learner Permit must be current on the test date and six months must have elapsed between the acquisition of the Permit and the test application.

Ensure that Tax, Insurance and NCT discs are current and properly displayed, plus L plates on front and rear. Where L plates are fitted to the exterior, one or both may blow off, so preferably display them on the inside.

Any warning lights on the display panel will entail a cancellation. These amber lights might include airbag, low fuel guage, windscreen washer empty etc. A very common problem is an indicator or brakelight bulb blowing on the way to the centre. A cure is to have a few spares and a screwdriver – with a bit of luck and enough time it will be rectified. Electrically controlled side windows and wing mirrors are regular problem areas – some drivers just don’t repair them when they stall as it may incur a hefty bill..

I already addressed the graduated driver licensing system that will be in place, come April 4^th next. Briefly, it refers to drivers who apply for a Learner Permit after midnight on the 3^rd of April. There will be a minimum of twelve hours instruction for each learner with an Approved Driving Instructor. The programme will, overall, be in 2 x 2 year phases; driving will be supervised by a sponsor who may be a parent or guardian etc., zero alcohol consumption, two driving tests, only one passenger will be allowed, except for family.

There will be three Booklets in use:

1. Essential Driver Training for the instructor, with information to help the ADI understand the requirements and content of the programme and how to implement it.

2. EDT Information booklet – aimed at the learner driver.

3. EDT Logbbok. On commencing a driving course, the learner will receive this book from the ADI, at a wee cost! A record of lessons will be kept  with advice on preparation and suggestions on ensuring an effective learning process.

Already we are close to being in the top five nations in Europe for road safety with the death rate down to nearly 200 per year from a high of over 600 at the worst of times. Maybe it should have been introduced as a Leaving Cert subject and inculcate in the student the importance of road safety and respect for other road users. Until four years ago we had no official driving test standard, now it is on a par with the best in the world. Well done to all in the Dept of Transport and RSA.

It is now four years since the Road Safety Authority devised a plan for higher standards of driving, more arduous test standards, new standards of driving instruction etc., all with the aim of reducing road deaths and serious injury.  Noel Brett’s and Gay Byrne’s efforts, plus a cohort of others within the structure, have been remarkable when one considers that in 1978 there were 628 deaths on the republics roads, in 2005 – 396 deaths, reducing to 240 in 2009. That statistic is all the more stark when one realises that today there are over two million vehicles on our roads, whereas in 1978 it was c.50% less.

However, there’s a flawed area that requires urgent remedy in the form of inadequate regulatory signage and road markings as well as contradictory signage in our towns. Any driver who holds a full driving licence should be able to drive competently through any town to which he or she is a total stranger, should the proper signs be in place.

As an example, I take Navan town where the RSA Driving Test is held in Co. Meath.

Firstly, trying to find the test centre at Athlumney, Kilcairn, is in itself quite a test. There’s no sign whatever on the Navan-Dublin Road indicating the location of the Test Centre. However, just past Kilcairn pub, there is a sunken manhole lid to a depth of four to five inches which would do serious damage to your alloy wheels. So, take the Johnstown Road sign into Metges Rd. Three hundred metres on, behold, there’s a timid looking sign for the Test Centre into a side road. Drive in to the left, there’s no more signs, and arrive in a cul de sac by the Boyne . Return and search within the new Dept. of Agriculture buildings on the left and there’s a little sign in a window ‘Driving Test Centre.’ Navan is the only test centre for the county, so most drivers sitting their test is a stranger to the Athlumney area. A Nigerian or Lithuanian might have greater difficulty here.

I outline the more obvious problem areas that a student driver will encounter in Navan:

Traffic lights on the N3 at the Kentstown Road crossjunction are being upgraded for several months now: there was a pole erected which obscured the green light by more than 50%. Surely the job should have been completed in less than one week, rather than four months.

Further on the Ring Road, turn right into the two-lane Flower Hill: there’s no signs at the entrance to indicate it’s a one-way street. Some 200m on, there’s road markings in the form of two white arrows which give the  only clue. Continue on and driver ‘A’ arrives at The Round O roundabout and attempts the 3^rd exit for Slane (from right traffic lane of course). A path, c. 1 meter wide around the centre island, pushes him outwards and Driver ‘B’ taking the 2^nd exit (Kingscourt) is either blocked or side by side ‘ A.’  There simply is not enough room to accommodate two vehicles on the roundabout. Then, if ‘B’ is a lorry, ‘A’ is squeezed  into pulling back or onto the path. Why aren’t the lanes properly marked? Answer – because it’s too narrow to take two lanes: just leave it to the motorists to do their best. Suggested cure – Make the ‘island’ much smaller or have only one traffic lane at the approach point from Flower Hill.

The junction of Kennedy Road , entering Trimgate St. – there’s no advance sign to indicate a left turn only. At the exit point there’s a zebra crossing which is in line with the very busy footpaths left and right. All such pedestrian crossings should be brought forward (c.5mts) from the junction as it is on the Continent, making matters safer for drivers and pedestrians. The road markings, here, take you left but there’s no upright sign to so indicate. Turning right from Market Square into Ludlow St. (at Clonard House, BOI) there’s a yield sign to the left. But, for the last few months that sign has been twisted around facing traffic approaching from the left. Who must yield here? [ The erection of new signs require sanction from the Minister for Transport in the form of a Statutory Instrument (S1) and publication before it becomes an authorised sign.

On from the Fairgreen is Churchill Rd. and into Bridge St (at the NewGrange Hotel); only on stopping at the stop sign can one observe that Bridge St. is a one way street , there being two ‘no entry’ signs to the left. Again there’s no one-way system sign in advance or at the junction.

Most drivers cope and make the sudden adjustments/corrections at the aforementioned locations. But they’re only in the penny halfpenny place in comparison to the crossjunction of Bridge St onto Circular Rd. – Academy St. This is the junction just down from the Palace Nightclub and Newgrange Hotel. It is Navan’s ‘Amen Corner’, the closest to impossible that I have witnessed in any town. The scene: At the exit from Bridge St., there’s an upright ‘Yield’ sign on the left (there should also be one on the right as this is a one way street with two lanes.)

Anyone’s interpretation of a yield sign is that the exit should be relatively easy to negotiate , or an area that shouldn’t pose any great danger. Driver ‘A’ moves to the mouth of this exit to take a right onto Circular Rd. – behold , there is a STOP LINE (a thick solid line, thus contradicting the Yield sign) in rainbow formation running across the junction and outwards for some metres either side. This area to the right and left of the exit lanes is ‘hatched’ to protect the exiting traffic; so traffic coming from the right is pushed outwards to their right. ‘A’s’ view to the right is about ten metres because of a high hoarding around a site. Question- how can one safely turn right here? Well, with great difficulty. Dash across to avoid a collision with whatever arrives from the right.

Not only must ‘A’ watch sharply to the right he also must cope with the flow of traffic from his left from the Ring Rd and Academy St., in front of him.

Driver ‘B’ wishes to turn left at this same junction and then left at the N3, about 20m away. Just at this point the single lane that is Circular Rd., now breaks into a two lane to accommodate traffic turning left and right on joining the Ring Rd. (N3.) But there’s a hatched area immediately to ‘B’s’ left as she exits from Bridge St.  The border lines of this hatched area have broad continuous white lines, so she cannot legally enter it. Rather, she must push out into the outer lane, turn left, indicate left, look over her left shoulder before coming back into the left lane. Why? Because most drivers ignore hatched areas and drive through them as if it was their right. So driver ‘B’ must avoid crashing into this traffic coming down Circular Rd. and intending to turn left at the N3. So why doesn’t ‘B’ drive immediately left through the hatched area? Because it is illegal for her to do so and in a driving test situation she will fail her test. So, what happens those who trundle through the hatched area: they are driving dangerously , selfishly, but sadly with impunity for unless a collision occurs, no Garda action will be taken, it appears.

Is there any easy solution? Perhaps. Remove the solid line of the hatched area on the near side of the left exit and replace with a broken line, thus allowing ‘B’ to turn left into the left lane as the outside ‘rainbow’ STOP Line should still force traffic from the right to stay outside that line. A second solution would be to remove//lower the hoarding to the right on Circular Rd. to give a view to ‘A’ who’s turning right. Erect a warning sign on approach road from (Fairgreen side) Circular Rd., like ‘Slow, Concealed Entrance’.

Erect two STOP signs at Bridge St. exit. Or, have a ‘No Right Turn’ off Bridge St. into Circular Rd..

The very high standard of driving that a learner must achieve in order to pass the modern driving test is in stark contrast to the standard exhibited by town engineers (Roads Section).

Learner drivers ask (i) How a Yield sign can be followed by a STOP line. Which are they to obey?

(ii) How come so many other drivers ignore Hatched Areas, yet they will fail their test should they encroach? (iii) How are they to know which direction to take when there are no signs to tell.

One student adeptly described the signage in Navan as akin to the ancient milestones which were read by pedestrians or horsemen.

I have a few questions for the roads engineers responsible for the likes of Navan’s ‘Amen Corner’. Do you not have a duty of care to motorists who must comply with your drawings? Of late, a banker and a chief fire officer have been arrested for matters related to their negligence and alleged criminal offences. The days of allowing STOP signs etc. to be twisted around by some dopey yob and left so twisted for weeks or months by Co. Co. authorities has passed. Responsibility has taken on a new meaning, thankfully. Marie Antoinnette  reputedly said ‘Let them eat cake.’ The people of France replied swiftly, they had had enough cake.

In the light of those road sign anomalies in Navan, I wonder if the place is at all suitable for the Driving Test. I suggest that consideration be given to changing the centre to Trim which has the highest standards of road signage and all else that’s required for such an undertaking.

A number of driving tests are not conducted/completed because test candidates do not meet certain requirements on the day of the test.

Set out below are the main requirements that must be met. Some of these conditions are legal requirements eg. tread depth for tyres. In other cases, they are to ensure thatthe vehicle complies with health and safety requirements eg. head restraint in place.

1. You must be present in the test centre before the appointed time of your test. If you are late, the test cannot be conducted and your fee will be forfeited.

2. You must produce your current Irish learner permit for your test category. The driver tester will check that it relates to you, is current and is for the correct category of vehicle. If you are a fi rst time learner permit holder and your test is for a motorcycle, works vehicle or car (licence categories M, A1, A, W, B or EB) you can only take a test if you have held the learner permit for at least six months.

3. If you are taking a motorcycle test, i.e. category A or A1, you must satisfy yourself that the vehicle presented for test is consistent with any restrictions denoted on the learner permit.

4. Please ensure that the vehicle you are using for your test meets the minimum vehicle requirements for the
driving test as set out in your appointment letter. It is also essential the vehicle has reasonably clean seating
or seat covering i.e. free from excessive dust/dirt dampness or moisture. Broken/unstable seats are not
acceptable for test purposes for safety reasons.

5. You must be insured to drive the vehicle. The vehicle must display a current valid original Insurance Disc
(white background with a green band extending along left hand side). The disc must clearly show the
Registration Number (or fl eet name) of the vehicle (not Chassis Number) and the policy dates. If the details
are faded you should get the disc replaced prior to the test. You will be asked to read and sign a statement
confi rming that the vehicle insurance cover is in place and is adequate.

6. Vehicles used as taxis or hackneys are not permitted to be used as driving test vehicles unless the appropriate rate of Vehicle Excise Duty has been paid i.e. Class Private.

7. Vehicles hired under a hire agreement are not generally insured for a driving test. If you plan to use such a
vehicle you must get a note from the hire company indicating that it is insured for the driving test. This must
be given to the driver tester on the day of the test.

8. Vehicles registered outside the State are not accepted for test purposes.

9. The following must be displayed on your vehicle:
a) Current valid motor tax disc and insurance disc.
b) NCT disc – vehicles obliged to undergo the National Car Test will not be taken for test if not displaying the
appropriate disc. (You can call the NCT service on 1890 412 413 for further information).
c) ‘L’ plates front and rear (a rectangular plate or sign bearing the letter ‘L’ not less than fi fteen centimetres
high in red on a white background and a border of at least 2 centimetres). From 1st December 2007 all
provisional licence/learner permit holders for motorcycle licence category A, A1, or M, must when driving
such a vehicle display a yellow fl uorescent tabard bearing the letter ‘L’ not less than 15 centimetres high
in red on a white background, in clearly visible vertical positions front and rear worn over the chest
clothing.

10. The vehicle must be in a roadworthy condition at the time of the test and you will be asked to sign a
statement to this effect. Specifically:
a) Tyres should, upon visible inspection, comply with Road Traffi c Acts requirements (minimum tyre tread
depth requirement is currently 1.6mm for a motorcar),
b) Loads should be properly secured; loose objects inside the vehicle such as screwdrivers, knives, gas
bottles etc. must be secured before the test.
c) You may not carry passengers or pets while on the test,
d) The windscreen should be clean and free from visual obstructions, including excessive cracks. Vehicles
presenting for test with tinted front windscreen and front passenger and driver door glass will be
acceptable for test purposes only where the tinting is part of the original manufacturers build and
specifi cation i.e. the glass should be clear to the naked eye. Vehicles not meeting this criteria will result
in the test not being conducted and your fee may be forfeited.
e) The seat belt on the tester’s side should be fi tted and in good working order,
f) The passenger door on the tester’s side should be working properly and, in particular, should be possible
to open from the inside as well as the outside,
g) The suspension should not be defective,
h) The brake and indicator lights should be tested to ensure they are working efficiently. All indicator lights
should be clearly showing amber.
i) The handbrake should be in good working order,
j) Today’s vehicles are fi tted with a number of warning lamps on a dashboard that let the driver know if
certain critical safety, and performance features are not working properly. They are important safety
features and it is in the interest of the driver and road safety that all safety systems in the vehicle are
in full working order. Consequently any warning Lights indicating a malfunction or a defect, that shows
before or during the test may lead to the non-conducting/non-completion of your test. This may result
in your fee being forfeited.
k) There should be no leakage, into the vehicle, of exhaust fumes.
l) Where car seats are designed to hold head restraints, these restraints must be in place on the day of the
test,
m) As vehicles presented for a driving test are regarded as an enclosed workspace, all vehicles must be smoke
free in accordance with the Public Health (Tobacco) Act, 2004. As this Act also covers environmental
tobacco smoke, test candidates are asked not to smoke in the vehicle before the driving test,
n) Other – there may, in exceptional circumstances, be other defects that would lead a tester to conclude
on health and safety grounds that the test vehicle was not in a suffi ciently roadworthy condition to
conduct the test.

11. Test applicants must wear suitable footwear during the practical driving test. (Flip flops/beach sandals or
other backless type footwear or barefoot driving is not acceptable).

12. If you have diffi culty communicating in English, or you are deaf or hard of hearing, you can have an
interpreter/assistant with you. This person must not be your driving instructor and may not accompany you
on the practical test. Please inform Driver Testing Section before the day of your test that you will have an
interpreter/assistant with you.

If you have any query on any of these matters please contact me in advance of your test.

Credit: www.drivingtest.ie

You can check the pass rates for the various test centres for 2009 here. (Adobe reader required)

There seems to be a huge variance between test centres, 30.6% in Rathgar comapred with 67.1% in Sligo. Its also interesting to note the difference between some neighbouring Dublin centres.

You may have seen my piece on the proposed graduated driving licence (GDL) where, for the younger drivers, supervision will be a must, zero alcohol levels, one passenger only, night curfew, two driving tests, accelerated penalty points etc etc. Does all that go far enough?
The greatest criticism I find with the current system here and even that of the GDL is that a 17 year old can acquire a Learner Permit and drive on the public road. ‘L’ Plate or no ‘L’ plate, being accompanied or not, such driver makes all the big decisions when the emergency arises ( or is created) The accompanying person has no physical control of speed, position on road, slowing or stopping. The horrific crash in the USA recently in which the Irish father and mother were killed in a single vehicle collision is a case in point: press reports state their teenage daughter was driving. Only in a dual controlled vehicle has the supervisor control: yes, verbal guidance can be given by the parent and he sees to it that his teenage son is sober, drug free and he’s not plugged in to an MP3 Player; but when his three friends become his ‘supervision’ the scene changes dramatically – spoiler fitted, turbocharged engine, alloy wheels and the Ford 150 SVT Lighting, is ready to create new records. In some European countries, a driver must pass a driving test before going on the public road (except with a driving instructor.)
While compulsory driving lessons are mooted here, at present it’s irrelevant. A Road Safety Authority official stated to me recently that the standard of driving in the actual test has deteriorated because drivers are, apparently, taking fewer driving lessons and hoping to pass, instead of undergoing a proper course. Some money saved, definitely maybe or might it be throwing good money after bad? The standard of the test in Ireland is very high, its foolhardy to take the shortcut. Expensive it is, but what price a life?
A candidate who fails the test can drive home and drive on until the next test. There’s no input or report from the test centre as to the dangers of such person continuing to drive ; Gaybo is very silent on the aspect particularly.

Where an instructor spends 5, 10 or maybe more hours with a learner, s/he is in an excellent position to give an assessment of that student. In a driving test situation, the better performance isn’t always forthcoming, therefore, in many instances it wont be a true reflection of the quality of that driver. A tester observes them for a half hour. Why not then adopt a new report form detailing the strengths and weaknesses of a learner as seen by the instructor and presented to the test supervisor or the RSA.
Also, the instructor should accompany the candidate during the test.

At present a driving test involves a daytime drive through a town, maybe the outskirts of the town and partly through a housing estate. If traffic is heavy, it’s like winning a slow bicycle race.

Where does the test address the following situations?

I am not looking to make a driving test more difficult for anyone, rather to improve efficiency, alertness to danger, greater ability to deal with emergencies, ultimately preventing crashes and saving lives. So, I don’t see the test (Class B) matching the challenge that our roads present. Every change costs a little more but no change can be more costly.