People seeking a provisional licence after April 25th will first have to pass a driver theory test, the Minister of State at the Department of the Environment Mr Bobby Molloy announced today.
The mandatory theory tests are being introduced to encourage safer driving standards and behaviour, the Minister said.
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From tomorrow mandatory theory tests are being introduced to encourage safer driving standards and behaviour
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The new test requirement - effective from tomorrow - is to supplement the traditional driving test and will cover the rules of the road, risk perception, hazard awareness, and good driving behaviour.
The Driver Theory Testing Service will commence on June 11th after which date anyone applying for a provisional licence will first have to pass the test.
In the meantime, provisional licences can be obtained for a 90 day period and the balance of the normal two years will be granted on passing the theory test.
Each test will comprise of 40 questions where 35 correct answers will be needed to pass. The theory test will be based on a bank of 743 questions which will be published by the Driver Theory Testing Service in book and CD formats.
Costing £25.20 (applicable for each sitting), it will be a separate charge to the £30 fee for the practical driver test. A theory test certificate will be required with applications for the practical tests, on receipt of which a date for the practical will be set.
A spokeswoman for the Department of the Environment said the theory tests, along with the extra facilities allocated to the driver test service, will help reduce the waiting lists for practical drivers’ tests.
The theory tests are to be conducted on a computerised system. The tests will be offered in Irish and English, and candidates with special needs will be catered for.
There will be 41 test centres throughout the State where an initial 70 jobs will be created.
The new service will be operated as a public private partnership, on the same basis as the National Car Test. The contract for the theory testing was won by Prometic Thomason Learning - part of the Thomason Learning division of the US-based Thomason Corporation - who operates testing in Britain and Northern Ireland.