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The Road Safety Authority today announced the start of a public consultation process on the future of the driving test in Ireland. 2014 marks the 50th Anniversary of the first driving test in Ireland.

Since the RSA took charge of the test in 2006, there have been significant reforms. The new Graduated Driver Licensing system introduced mandatory driving lessons, and the driving instruction industry was regulated in 2009, where we now have 1800 Approved Driving Instructors (ADIs).

Transport Minister Leo Varadkar said:

The public consultation launched today will help members of the public, and interested parties to shape the future of the driving test. One of the proposals being considered is a hazard perception test in driver training and testing, where the driver is asked to identify potential hazards in photographs or videos. The ability to spot hazards is a vital skill and marks out a really competent driver, and its inclusion in training and testing would help to focus attention on this skill at an early stage.

This consultation will seek the views of the public on suggested reforms to the current driving test. The public, and any interested parties, can have their say on the future of the driving test by commenting on the reforms or by making formal submissions by post or email. More details are available on www.rsa.ie. The deadline for submissions is 18th July 2014.

Read the full press release

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