New driving lessons 'unworkable'

Driving instructors have claimed new regulations on mandatory lessons for learner drivers are confusing and possibly unworkable.

The way learner drivers are trained and tested is being overhauled by the Road Safety Authority (RSA) in an effort to reduce the high number of fatal crashes involving younger drivers.

From April 4th, those applying for their first driving licence will be required to complete 12 hours of tuition with an approved driving instructor before they can sit the test.

Under the new rules, a driver will receive a logbook when they sign up for lessons. The instructor will be required to sign the logbook to confirm the student has completed each lesson.

The RSA says learner drivers must successfully complete the 12 hours of driver training over a six month period with an average of one lesson every two weeks before they can sit the test. In order to get the maximum benefit from the lessons, the RSA recommends learners complete at least three hours of practice with a fully-qualified sponsor in between lessons.

However, the Irish Driving Instructors Association (IDIA) said today the time allocated to cover the RSA’s driver training syllabus was “completely inadequate”.

“Training has always been tailored to individual drivers with people progressing at different rates. The new mandatory lessons provide no flexibility for this,” said IDIA chairperson Cathy Bacon.

Ms Bacon said that while RSA’s syllabus was “very good” it would take up to 75 hours to complete all stages, including the recommended sponsor-supervised practice between lessons.

“The fact that learners don’t have to achieve any of the steps under the new rules, and only have to present themselves for the lessons, may risk giving drivers a false sense of compentence, ” she said.

Since December, those applying for a motorcycle licence have been required to complete a minimum of 16 hours’ tuition with an approved instructor. However, the lessons for motorbike drivers, unlike those for learner car drivers, have to be completed and passed to the satisfaction of the instructors.

Some instructors say they are uneasy about signing the logbook on the completion of the car driving lessons when the required level of proficiency has not been achieved.

However, RSA spokesman Brian Farrell insisted the new rules were very straight forward. “The instructor’s job was to provide the lesson and certify that it’s been completed,” he said.

“We recommend that learner drivers implement the practice, in the company of their sponsor, that the instructor recommends and if they do that there should be no difficulties.”

Mr Farrell warned, however, there was no obligation on candidates to take additional lessons, over and above the mandatory 12 hours.

He also advised people to look around for best value for money in the market place, noting that learner drivers were not restricted to taking all their lessons with the one instructor.

Irish Insurance Federation (IIF) public affairs spokesman Niall Doyle said the federation had been calling for compulsory basic training for more than a decade.

“We need learner drivers trained as a matter of law and we’ll get much better drivers as a consequence,” he said.