This driving test rule change is catching hundreds of learners out

According to reports, changes to the rules around insurance documents have already caught a lot of people out, with around 1,200 learners turned away.

Even though the new rules have technically been in place since March 9th, many drivers who have been waiting months to sit their tests didn’t realise anything had changed until it was too late.

The updates came after a disagreement between the department in charge and Forsa, the union representing driving testers.

The union had raised concerns that testers weren’t fully protected by the State Claims Agency while doing their job, especially if they were testing drivers in vehicles that could be considered “uninsured”.

There were worries that testers themselves could be held responsible if something went wrong.

After more than 1,200 tests were cancelled before they even started (since March 9th), things are now being tweaked again.

The good news? You can now show proof of insurance digitally, so it does not have to be the physical document anymore. But for many learners, this change has come a little too late.

The RSA has since apologised for the confusion and to anyone who missed their test because of this issue. They’ve also said that affected drivers will be prioritised for a new date and won’t be placed at the back of the queue.

The average wait time at the moment for a test is around 12 weeks. However, some centres have much longer delays, with Dun Laoghaire and Mulhuddart looking at around a 21 week wait.

Speaking on RTE’s Morning Ireland, RSA Chief Operating Officer, Brendan Walsh said the changes were brought in after testers raised concerns about possibly having to assess uninsured drivers, and the threat of industrial action.

He also said the number of people being turned away is already starting to drop from 11% to 7% this week. 

For those who were affected by the earlier changes, they’ll be offered new dates within days.

“They do not go to the back of the queue,” he confirmed.