The Road Safety Authority (RSA) has announced plans to decrease driving test wait times to 10 weeks by mid-year. Amidst criticism over prolonged delays, State Minister Jack Chambers communicated recent improvements to the Dáil. He stated that waiting times had been cut from 30 weeks last August to 15 weeks by March’s end.
Chambers’ comments were part of a broader discussion focused on road safety repercussions following a surge in road accidents. The Minister disclosed that there were 63 reported road fatalities this year as of Wednesday morning. This marks an uptick of 14 compared to the same time last year and sets a grim prediction of over 220 deaths by year’s end, a rise from 188 last year.
Alcohol and drug abuse have proved to be the primary culprits behind road deaths, and the Minister indicated that in the first quarter of this year, 2,588 motorists had tested positive for at least one drug. Cannabis was detected in over half of these cases, and cocaine accounted for over 30 per cent.
Chambers went on to mention the Road Traffic Bill. He expressed hope that the Bill, which mandates on-site drug tests in collision instances akin to alcohol assessments, would be enacted soon, a process he plans to initiate within the following weeks.
Chambers also added that with the RSA appointing an additional 75 driving examiners, waiting times have consistently dwindled. He confidently projected the restoration of a 10-week wait period by mid-year. Furthermore, he stressed this change would aid in overcoming the overall delay and ensure sufficient resources are available to address the recurring issue of learner permits.
Labour Deputy Aodhán Ó Riordáin criticised the driving test backlog as “unacceptable” and stated that “over 86,000 individuals are waiting to schedule or undertake a driving exam, of which 31,000 are in Dublin”. He argued this holdup was facilitating unlicenced driving amongst learners and was a source of poor driving habits amongst the younger population. He referred to statistics showing that nearly 30,000 individuals on their third or more provisional licences have never appeared for a driving test.
Marc Ó Cathasaigh from the Green Party highlighted that although road users are often spotlighted, many of those who lose their lives to road accidents are pedestrians or cyclists. Hence, he stressed, road safety efforts should be inclusive of all road users.
He likewise slammed the RSA for shelling out €240,000 on personal safety gear for better visibility in the previous November. “I have an interest in seeing the cost-benefit analysis related to such a substantial expenditure,” he remarked, looking for proof that this investment has positively impacted road safety in any significant measure. Additionally, Ceann Comhairle Seán Ó Fearghaíl suggested the Government consider collaborating with insurers to enforce the requirement of speed limiters in vehicles operated by learner and young drivers.