South Meath Driving School

For the past seven years I have been giving driving instruction as an Approved Driving Instructor (ADI) in Class B vehicles. In that time I have seen many candidates undergo the driving test, practically all with an element of trepidation yet many came out smiling, but, for the minority it was a repeat dose. Having carried out much research world-wide, the Dept. of Transport set up the Road Safety Authority (RSA) in 2007 with a view to structuring a safer learning process for young drivers.

It has worked well but one area that requires urgent change is the age-old system of the driving test.

On the 4^th of April, 2011, the Essential Driver Training (EDT) programme came into being. It is the new system whereby learner drivers must undergo a minimum of 12 x 1 hour lessons with an ADI before being eligible to apply for a driving test.

Features of the new system include, among others, car controls and safety checks, correct positioning, changing direction, anticipation and reaction, night driving – all following the lesson programme to bring out the better driving skills, proper behaviour and attitude in a learner driver. There are many hours of practice with a sponsor between lessons and after completion of the EDT course. Parents looking at this new learning programme might be forgiven for thinking that it would cure all driving ills, that it was even a bit scientific.

Prior to April 4, 2011, the holder of a Provisional Licence wasn’t subject to such training. Some drove a tractor on the farm from a young age; a parent or friend introduced the novice to the travails of driving in the laneway or local boreen before venturing into town for a ‘finetuning’ of those skills.

It was then time to apply for the Test and the driving instructor was summoned for just a few lessons and tips to ensure the test was passed.

Therefore, one would expect that in graduating from that scenario to EDT in 2011, the standard would rise out of all proportion and the test should be a near formality. Here then are some statistics on pass rate percentages at random test centres –

The preparation for a driving test prior to 2007 was without any particular standard set by the State. The pass rate in Navan in ’08 was 58% reducing to 50% last year. Tallaght centre shows a decline from 59% to an extraordinary 43% in the same years, whereas Sligo’s and Athlone’s trend was upward while Letterkenny changed little. Overall, there’s a slight increase.

I can find no sense or reason in those figures. The learner driver of today is usually more educated and their wherewithal ranks well above that of the previous generation. But, in this context, too many are being left frustrated over a test system whose method is ancient, stale and dictatorial. A driving test should not be conducted and decided on by one individual without opportunity of challenge. To say that one may appeal a decision to the District Court is folly. How many will take the trouble? In any case, the Court can’t change the tester’s decision, but may order a retest for free.

The driving instructor(s) must have an input that is commensurate with their role in the preparation and overall assessment of the candidate. Afterall, the ADI is the one with in ‘hands on’ role.

Their  input could be done by way of completion of a confidential form which would be submitted to the RSA in advance of the test or, furthermore, hold a verbal briefing in advance of the test. The tester’s position would not be undermined. If anything, the ADI is putting his/her neck on the line with this proposal.

I understand that in Belgium the tester sits in the back seat and the driving instructor takes up position in the passenger seat for the test. That way the candidate will not be as nervous as meeting a tester alone and for the first time. In Holland, the tester has no marking sheet; the candidate drives for about an hour and there’s an assessment that is more general with regard to the competency or otherwise of such student. I’m aware that there’s a pilot scheme in operation here at present where the ADI may accompany the candidate on a test. That isn’t going far enough, especially where an ADI’s car is being used. It’s in operation in England for a time.

The current Irish system plays into the hands of the tester alone: that is wrong. Eight grade 2 ticks can be given and yet pass. One more tick and you fail. It’s in the mould of sweets for a child who is good, than to do with the many elements of safety on our roads. Is there much wrong with a candidate slowing down by a few km/h for a short distance because there’s a fear of breaking the speed limit. How can anyone be sure if it’s a 50 or 60 km/h zone he’s in? One may travel many many hundreds of metres in a built up area without seeing a further speed limit sign, especially around Navan where traffic signs (or a lack of) and road markings are nothing short of disgraceful, leading to confusion for the best of drivers. So, a candidate slows a little too much and gets a tick for ‘Progress on the straight.’

What’s so incompetent about driving for a while in 3^rd gear instead of 4^th?  Diesel cars struggle at 50km/h in 4^th gear. There’s so much that is in the petty, nit picking category of the test that has little or nothing to do with either unsafe driving or a lack of competency. There’s simply too much discretion left in the hands of the tester. That is not the testers fault. The tester is very professional and can only deal with the programme presented to him/her. There is a great lack of communication between ADIs and the RSA. There should be an open meeting held on a bi-annual basis.

If the number of road deaths and injuries are falling drastically it must be a reflection of higher driving standards. That is not reflected in the test pass rates. Why? Look at a few statistics here –

This is a brilliant result for which all the stakeholders can take a bow. That is the RSA, ADIs, Gardai, NRA, ambulance crews etc. Yet the better candidates are not being rewarded at the test centre.

An example of the exasperation suffered by some victims of this test system is a young lady from Navan who sat her test recently (in her own back yard, of course.) We’ll call her Adelle. It’s an advantage, ‘playing at home’ of course. She had been driving for over two years. She was just an all round very good driver with a solid temperament.

One question the tester asked her was, ‘Is this your first time …?’ It was.

(Could it be that a tester is building a profile of a candidate? Such as age, experience, competency, before any driving action at all.) Adelle had 10 grade 2 ticks (8 being a pass.) She was perplexed. I was almost embarrassed and as frustrated as the poor girl. It made me think that I must be doing something wrong. Might I not be up to date in some areas? But, I don’t think so.

She soon had a new test date and I was due to do a pre test run with her when there was a death of a close relative in the family. Her test was the day after the funeral. There was no time for a pre test run out. She went ahead and had just 2 grade 2 ticks. Of course the RSA will say it’s all on the day, that nobody drives the same on any given two occasions etc. But Adelle’s case is symptomatic of so many other candidates. A young person should not be a statistical subject in the eyes of the RSA. Their individual performance should stand alone for assessment and not be subject to the number of young people who are getting killed on the roads. That’s a totally different matter.

The young person, 17 years old, undergoing a driving test  reminds me of the young fellow who has come before a District Court Judge on a charge of, say, assault and breach of the peace. It’s his first time in court. The judge wants to teach this chap a lesson, yet not punish him too severely with a custodial sentence. So he remands him in custody for a week and then gives his decision – one month in prison, suspended conditionally. The young man didn’t officially serve time inside. But he got a sniff of what it would be like if he misbehaved in the future. It is my opinion that the young driver, in the eyes of the RSA, must earn his brownie points and so, can afford another visit and some more of mammy’s hard earned money. That will make him appreciate his certificate of competency. Poor Adelle!

Therefore, I emphasise that broader assessment is the key, like input by the ADI and a system akin to that of Holland. If after 12 or more lessons I can say to a learner, “ You are a competent driver with a good attitude to safety and to other road users,” I should also be able to say to that person that I am confident he or she should pass any driving test. But no, I cannot.

The RSA made all Approved Driving Instructors undergo a stringent learning programme in order to instil in the learner the essentials of safe driving and the skills involved. Then they close the door on the ADIs. That must change forthwith.

A test shouldn’t be conducted in built up areas alone. Where do collisions involving death and serious injury occur? Out mostly on country roads, at junctions, blind corners and in the attempt at overtaking. Driving on a clutch and brake for 15 minutes of a 30 minute  test, bumper to bumper is no great test of skill. Other aspects should include night time tests, driving on motorway, overtaking  and changing a wheel. A candidate isn’t allowed drive on a motorway under instruction with an ADI or parent etc., but pass the test and it’s on to the motorway at 120 km/h. No, it’s no use giving advice to take a practice run on a motorway with an experienced driver after qualifying. It should be in the programme of preparation and set down in legislation.

The new marking system of faults in the driving test whereby the candidate is later supplied with a detailed marking sheet, is not being met with approval. The older system was simpler,  clearer and instant. When a tester has made up his/her mind on faults incurred, it should be delivered immediately if a final decision on pass/fail is also being there and then delivered.

The cost of preparation and the taking of a driving test is now reaching towards 1000.00 euro, all told. I feel that a second test should be reduced from 103 euro to 50.00. A lot of people that I talk to are of the opinion that money could be an element of this first time failure. Should that be the case, it could spark another inquiry. I’m merely quoting what many are saying and many have the same sentiments in relation to the National Car Test (and the retest.) A lot of people in Ireland  have had their savings and property values plundered by clowning bankers and incompetent politicians so we all have to be extra cautious in the way household expenditure is handled. The Driving Test and NCT are new areas that require closer monitoring.

An individual undergoing a driving test should not be looked at in the light of national trends in road crashes or fatalities. The RSA has been running a road safety broadcast campaign recently in the form of Gay Byrne asking drivers to slow down, that there was one death more in the first half of this year than that of 2012. Everyone is conscious of all this and long may Gay’s message live. I wonder how do the RSA deliver this message of gloom to the many testers around the country.

A healthy sign of progress is the ability to adapt and change. They say the wheels of bureaucracy turn slowly: the Dept of Transport have challenged that myth in the past few years. I appeal to them to continue the good work and change radically our ancient driving test methods in a manner that will show greater fairness to a young generation of people who have become the coping class.