An urgent overhaul of the current driving test system is needed as people are paying out vast sums of money to prepare for tests that are being cancelled at the last minute.
That’s according to Aontu Cllr Ellen Troy, who says
“I was contacted by a mother in West Dublin whose daughter’s long-awaited test was literally cancelled at the 11th hour. Her driving test, which was due to take place on Monday, 13 October, was cancelled at 10:55 a.m. the day before (12th Oct) giving her less than one working days’ notice before the test.
The girl first sat her test on 21 January and was told she would wait about 10 weeks for a retest. Instead, I understand she has waited 38 weeks, which is some leap. To add insult to injury this was then cancelled at the last minute because the tester called in sick. Naturally illness cannot be helped, but where is the forward planning, where is the back up?
It seems so simple to anybody who understandings the value of forward planning but seems to be impossible to those behind the organising the actual Driving Test.
This girl in question is now stranded as she is a shift worker, who begins work at 6 am and there is no public transport available to her at that time. For months, she has been under severe pressure, relying on family members to get up at 5:00 a.m. to drive her to work or paying €70 per taxi when no one is available.
This is a huge amount of money for a young person
Her father took the day of the planned test off work as the girl cannot drive her car alone until she passes her test, needing someone with a full licence to accompany her, as is the law.
She herself took the day off from work as part of her annual leave and now has no further leave which makes rescheduling extremely difficult.
The financial cost has been enormous. She paid €3,500 for her first year of car insurance, which has now expired because of the long delay. She has already paid almost €3,000 for her new policy, plus hundreds more on lessons and three two-hour pre-tests this week, with another booked for the hour before her test. These costs are now completely wasted.
This is more than unacceptable. It is blatantly unfair and shows a disregard for the people who are desperatley waiting for tests.
Her mother has conveyed her own stress observing this situation and says it is becoming increasingly hard for her to convince her daughter that this is a country that values and supports people who are genuinely trying to do the right thing.
I am going to raise this matter with the RSA and the Minister for Transport in a bid to try and ensure that when cancellations occur, there is a fair and practical process in place, especially for those who depend on their licence for work.
