1- How do you rate the testing system in Ireland- both for theory and the
full test?



"The Theory Testing Service is fine up to a point. It's only been in
existence for five years and is better than nothing. I guess it does prevent
total loonies from signing up for a Provisional License. It is not quite the
same standard as the UK. Version since there are many more signs in the UK
that we don't have here in Ireland.

Perhaps in future years it will be
extended. I don't have any figures for failure rates. A hazard awareness
test was introduced into the UK recently to form part of the overall Driving
Test. This would be a good model for Ireland since hazard awareness is one
of the more difficult aspects of driving particularly for Learner Drivers."

"Dealing with, and anticipating hazards I believe is one of the most
fundamental aspects of safe Driving. A learner just doesn't have the on road
experience to be more than mediocre in this skill unless they are taught by
a really experienced Instructor!"


The full Driving Test is no where near the standard that pertains throughout
Europe currently but it has improved a lot in the last four years (mostly
due to E.U.Directives)

For example Elaine we don't have an emergency stop nor a reverse park into
a space between two cars. The introduction of these two manoeuvres alone
would, at current skills level throughout the Learner Driver community,
dramatically increase the failure rate. The one common denominator in the
failure rate and the level of accidents is the fact that so many young
learner Drivers seem to be under the impression that owning and driving a
car (often unaccompanied) for a year or so makes them (a) a skilled Driver
and (b) ready to pass the Test!

 They don't take lessons when starting off
because its Uncool...it's expensive...it is not mandatory... and "sure all I
have to do is to press the accelerator and the brake pedal occasionally and
I'll be fine"! We both know that this laissez-faire attitude is what is
causing a very high proportion of accidents both fatal and otherwise.



"There should also be a high speed carriageway section on the Driving Test
since experience here would benefit a Learner Driver enormously. As a matter
of course I have always given high speed tuition as soon as a pupil was
ready (usually about the fifth session.these are two hour sessions now) that's
our standard lesson. Also rural roads should be included in the Driving Test
as these are probably the most lethal of the Irish road network. You know
the coming too fast round a bend to suddenly find ten tons of field spread
all over the road as a Farmer does his muckspreading or silage or whatever.

All of this would add up to a much longer Driving Test which would require
much more serious Tuition and greater preparation if the candidate was to
pass. Driving round and round Caherdavin housing estates in Limerick or
Raheny in Dublin does not prepare a Driver for the real Irish Conditions on
Motorways, Rural roads and Carriageways which make up by far the greatest
types of driving conditions!"



2- What do you think is the primary reason people fail?



Lack of foundation Lessons and lack of in depth pre-test tuition and
practice. Without a good grounding with a professional Instructor (not Mum
or Dad or the Boyfriend or next door neighbour) no amount of heading off to
the beach every weekend or up and down the Country in the Nissan MICRA will
bring a Learner Driver up to Test Standard by wishing and hoping!

3-What do you think people should do after they fail?



" Reapply immediately and take the Lessons that they should have done to begin
with! Then practice the new found skills (which they would already have if
they had gone to a professional School in the first place). "

4- What would you say to people who might suggest that Learner Schools want
people to fail so that they might go ton you for more lessons?



" No Professional Instructor wants his or her Pupil to fail. Some pupils of
course might think   that an Instructor could extract more lessons out of
them and not be truthful about their real capabilities or chances of
passing. As for me I teach (or try to!) skills for life which are way beyond
the level of the Driving test. Passing The Driving Test is only the
beginning of the learning process and enables a Driver to start to practice
and perfect many diverse skills and techniques. "


5- What do you think are the primary reasons for the fatalities on Irish
roads?



" No mandatory Training in force (but it's coming.it has to!)Not enough input
from Parents at a very early age. Many basic skills and levels of awareness
can be taught to young children as they are carried as Passengers in a car.
Children of fifteen and sixteen can be coached in the Theory and actually do
their theory test before their 17 Th Birthday since the Test Certificate is
valid for two years.

 Not anything like enough emphasis on skills for life from many Instructors.
Hell Elaine we have so called Instructors in Limerick who leave Test
Centres with Pupils in Pupils cars without L Plates displayed! I carry sets
of L plates with me all the time so if I am meeting a pupil in his or her
own car for the first time it's the first thing I check.then I check the
certs. on the Windscreen and then a close scrutiny of all the tyres. "



" Summing up .not enough tuition of a sufficiently high caliber .not enough
experience in poor weather conditions, which allied with the poor state of
many secondary roads contributes greatly.and basically a complete lack of
understanding of the dangers involved in Driving a motor vehicle.



That's all that I can think of for now"