| Byrne promises tougher driving test
IRELAND’S road safety supremo Gay Byrne has promised
to toughen up the country’s driving test.
The head of the Road Safety Authority pledged a more difficult and comprehensive
regime would be introduced soon.
It could see even those who pass the new test having to be accompanied
by an experienced driver for a full year after they take off their L-plates.
The former Late Late Show presenter insisted that much more stringent
and strict measures will be brought in over the next year.
He said: “Everybody is of the opinion that the present driving test
is quite useless and I would agree with them. It is a sick joke.
Of the proposed new test he added: “When somebody eventually gets
a permit to drive we will know they will have a reasonable standard of
driving right from the beginning.
“Furthermore after they get their permit to drive, and this particularly
applies to young people, they will have to be accompanied by a four-year-licence
driver at all times for the first year.
“Secondly if they infringe any of the driving regulations under
the Road Traffic Act they go back to square one.
“And during the first year after they get their permit we are working
on the idea that if they are caught in a random breath test and they are
found to have any alcohol whatsoever in their bloodstream — forget
about the limit, any alcohol whatsoever — they will lose their permit
to drive and they will have to go back to square one and start at the
beginning.” |
