One in six theory test appointments are no shows – Higgins

The fact that one in every six theory test appointments are no-shows is compounding the backlog caused by the pandemic, a Fine Gael TD has said.

Dublin Mid-West TD Deputy Emer Higgins said, “The Road Safety Authority (RSA) is currently processing over 25,000 driver theory tests every month. On top of that, 10,000 tests are now being conducted online. People who have been waiting for months are now securing appointments, sitting their tests and progressing on their path to obtaining a full drivers’ licence.

“I’m really pleased that the move towards online testing has been working so well; it was a key recommendation in the proposal I sent to Minister Hildegarde Naughton earlier this year which was based on feedback from driving instructors in Lucan, Clondalkin, Palmerstown, Newcastle, Saggart and Rathcoole.

“However, despite the progress made by Minister Naughton and her department, she recently said that 15% of theory test applicants are not showing up for their appointments. It’s completely understandable that people’s plans have changed as appointments were made so far in advance, but people who can’t attend need to get in touch with their RSA office to give them fair notice.

“Anyone who can’t sit the test must cancel their appointment in advance so it can be offered to someone else. This would be a big help when it comes to clearing the backlog, and further decrease the time it takes for people to secure appointments.

“Young people have been hugely impacted by the pandemic and learning to drive is a rite of passage for many. There are some prospective drivers that booked their essential driving lessons last year and still haven’t been able to sit behind the wheel. We need to do all we can to get our learner drivers motoring, and that starts with clearing the backlog for theory tests,” concluded Deputy Higgins.