50% of Learners failed test last year

Sleipnir

from de d'indo
what do you make of this?
How could the government clear the backlog- night-time tests?
Should they be allowed to just drive away after failing?
why are there more learners on their 2nd Provisional than on their 1st?
856 on their 5th!?!? IMO, these people shouldn't be allowed on the road at all until they prove the can drive competently & safely.


"ALMOST 70,000 L-drivers failed the test last year and were branded incompetent - but they were still allowed to stay on the road.

And now they must wait at least nine months before they can try again to get a full licence as waiting times for driving tests have dramatically increased from 10 weeks to around 34 weeks.

Nearly half (46pc) of provisional licence holders - who now account for 17pc of all drivers on the roads - flunked the driving test in 2002.

According to the Department of the Environment's latest report, more than half the L-drivers failed, yet they drove away from many driving test centres.

The failure rate and delays in testing mean the number with provisional licences has soared.

An additional 6,000 joined the ranks last year to swell the figure to 358,845.

That is despite Government promises to overhaul the system.

But with 129,478 motorists applying to do the test and with the average waiting time expanding, the entire system is in deeper crisis.

Again that is despite Government promises to reduce lengthy delays.

There are 124,936 drivers who are on first provisional licences, 149,660 on second, 54,660 on third and 28,478 on fourth licences.

And 856 are on their fifth licence. That means they could be driving for up to ten years without passing a test.

The L-test scandal was last night branded "farcical" by the Automobile Association.

It called on the Government to regulate driving instructors and force L-drivers to take comprehensive tuition before being allowed to take the test.

Transport Minister Seamus Brennan earlier this year promised to sort out the provisional licence situation sparking a rush of applications - 50,000 in January alone.

Those who failed their test were still legally entitled to continue motoring even though they were adjudged not fit to drive unaccompanied.

Learner drivers taking the test recorded the highest pass rate at the Shannon testing centre where 65pc graduated on to full licences.

But the Cavan test centre had the lowest pass rate at just 47.3pc, the Irish Bulletin of Vehicle and Driver Statistics 2002 shows.

While 68,112 drivers (46pc) failed the test 80,900 (54pc) passed but the figures also show that the fail rates are 2pc higher than in 1997.

Six years ago there was a 44pc fail rate and a 56pc success in the nationwide tests.

AA spokesman Conor Faughnan said: "Having 17pc of drivers on provisional licences is absolutely farcical.

"And the high failure rate is due often to people turning up to do the test having got a few lessons in a car park from a father, brother or a friend. They are completely unprepared."

He called on the Government to establish a State register of driving instructors.

He also advocated that it be a mandatory requirement for all provisional licence holders to carry out a comprehensive programme of tuition with a recognised operator.

The numbers on provisional licences would fall if people were forced to take part in a driving training curriculum and only allowed to take the test when instructors felt they were ready, Mr Faughnan said.

The Department spokesperson said the numbers applying for tests had stabilised since the January rush.

The figure for last month came to 16,000.

However, the total now stands at 129,478 and the spokesperson said the average waiting time for tests is now 34.1 weeks.

Fine Gael Transport spokesman Denis Naughten said the high failure rate is an indictment of the system.

He is concerned that L-drivers are not properly prepared to take the test due to the lack of a proper system of training.

Men learner drivers had a better pass rate (55.5pc) than women (53pc).

As concern mounts over the disclosure than the total number of motorcycle deaths so far this year exceeds the toll for all of 2002 the figures show there was a pass rate of 72.8pc for those who took the test in the 125cc category.

There was a pass rate in the 50-125cc and under 50cc motorbikes/mopeds of just 49.8pc and 47.5pc respectively.

It shows that there are now 17pc of motorists on provisional licences compared with 24pc in 1997 but the numbers have risen for this year. The overall number of drivers rose from 1.85m to 2.11m during the same period.

A total of 94pc of the 536,000 cars which went for the NCT test passed.

Around 41pc got through on the second attempt.

Some 40,600 tests were carried out on light goods vehicles in 2002.

Alarmingly, the report also discloses that almost 20,000 heavy goods vehicles failed the NCT test, accounting for 17pc of the total numbers of heavy trucks examined.

The total number of licensed vehicles last year was 1,850,000,an increase of 80,400 (4.5pc ) on the previous year.

In the private car category, the number increased from 1,384,700 in 2001 to 1,447,900 in 2002, an increase of 4.56pc.

The report also shows that 55pc of cars are four years old and over and 37pc are six years and older.

sceptre

Originally posted by Kananga
An additional 6,000 joined the ranks last year to swell the figure to 358,845

Either last year was a slow year for people joining the legion of provisional drivers or some people have been on such a licence since forever. That 800-odd figure for people on a 5th provisional (5th! for crying out loud - 5th!) suddenly seems low.

Victor

Originally posted by sceptre
Either last year was a slow year for people joining the legion of provisional drivers or some people have been on such a licence since forever.

Surely it's something like 70,000 new applications and 64,000 test passes / withdrawls / etc. that results ina net gain of 6,000.

mhoward

I am an L driver for the past 6 months. When I decided I wanted a car I applied for my full licence on the net (by accident) then my provisional. I was waiting like 8 months. I did it 2 days ago. The woman was absolutely horrible to me. I was so nervous she made it worse. She then failed me on something stupid. Reaction to hazards. 4 grade 2s. This happend on the ballymun road(which is a building site). The test is taken all wrong, it lasted 30 mins or so. I accept I failed (on something stupid but hey), how can you judge someones driving on 30 mins? I have put about 12000 km on my car since i got it. I'm a better driver than my 19 year old sister yet her insurance is 300 euro cheaper, which is a different point all together. Good idea would be a test class which lasts maybe a full day, with more than 1 instructor and more than 1 taking the test. Constructive classes rather than just failing people and ****ing them back onto the road! Lol

mikemac

Why not increase the test fee?
Not sure what it is now but make €300 for example.

You get €250 back if you pass (€50 for admin fees), €200 if you sit all the test and fail and you get zilch if you pull a no show or you fail before the test begins.

This might put an end to stupid things like the car being in unroadworthy condition, no L plates,etc. And the many threads I see "Help, my test is in two days and my provisional licence is expired". :rolleyes:

And before you say this penalises poorer people, if you can afford lessons, petrol, tax, insurance and all the other running costs to keep a car on the road than €300 is small change.

ParkRunner

I would really recommend the Hibernian Ignition course for anyone who does eventually pass the test. Like yourself my insurance is still more expensive than my sisters who is on a provisional and has far less experience but at least that course brought the insurance down a bit. Its much more constructive too than just taking lessons as there is a discussion session in the morning and you get practical tips when you take the car out on the road. They are very fair on that course too

unkel

Holy bat resurrection, threadman!

Start your own thread please, mhoward. Read the charter before you do...