| Driving Schools in Limerick are much the same as | | | | Test parameters. |
| those elsewhere; a mix of full time Professionals; | | | | Ireland is one of only a couple of countries within |
| some part time Instructors; some occasional | | | | the E.U. community that has no long established |
| Instructors and the usual crop of drivers who | | | | regulation and monitoring of Driving School |
| masquerade as Instructors. The lack of any | | | | standards. There is also no current mandatory |
| formal Driving Instructor Examinations and ongoing | | | | tuition of Learner Drivers which has lead to a |
| monitoring has meant that anyone with a Driving | | | | virtual free- for- all on the roads throughout the |
| license can stick a sign on the roof of his car and | | | | country for many years. This has lead to pitiful |
| call himself an Instructor. There is plenty of this | | | | Driving Standards throughout the whole driving |
| type of example throughout the country and | | | | population; a waiting list for the Driving Test that |
| Limerick is no exception. Sadly the level of skill | | | | is probably the worst in Europe at approximately |
| being displayed by most Learner Drivers in | | | | 11 months as we speak and a cost to the State |
| Limerick is a reflection on the lack of commitment | | | | of around 1.5 Billion Euro per Annum in coping with |
| by successive governments to tackle head-on, | | | | the horrendous accident fall-out. |
| the various issues surrounding driving and learning | | | | The Driving Test results in the Limerick and |
| to drive. If there is no culture of Professional | | | | Mid-west area generally have been at the higher |
| Driving Lessons only a lemming-like fascination | | | | end of the scale for several years in contrast |
| with passing the Driving Test and nothing more; | | | | with other parts of the country that haven't |
| then it is hardly surprising we have one of the | | | | fared so well in pass rates. Probably the huge |
| worst equipped Driving Populations in Europe! | | | | increase in the population locally has contributed to |
| Currently the newly established Road Safety | | | | an awareness of Driving Schools and their visibility. |
| Authority is processing the proposed setting up of | | | | Perhaps more Learner Drivers have been |
| an official Register of Driving Instructors. The new | | | | persuaded to take professional lessons than many |
| Register will come into being in the summer of | | | | of those residents of more rural areas where |
| 2007 and will finally bring some semblance of | | | | practise with Parents or in the confines of the |
| order to the Profession, and with it the long | | | | nearest field seems to be recognised as the rite |
| awaited improvement in Driver Standards which | | | | of passage! |
| one day will reduce the horrific accident statistics | | | | Many fatal accidents have taken place on rural |
| that are common in Ireland at present. A three | | | | roads which will always remain the most |
| part Examination process, together with further | | | | dangerous of driving environments particularly in |
| checks of Teaching Ability and vehicle Inspections | | | | the autumn and winter months which is why all |
| will no doubt remove all those who are not | | | | Learner Drivers should be given tuition and |
| committed to achieving the highest of Standards | | | | tutoring on these roads as a matter of course. |
| and continuing with further Professional | | | | Far too many Driving Instructors focus entirely on |
| Development. | | | | the Driving Test and entirely on City Roads when |
| The format of the Examinations and ongoing | | | | a broader scope of lessons which includes high |
| monitoring of Instructors is due to be modelled on | | | | speed carriageway driving and rural roads should |
| the European Standard; in line with the continual | | | | be an essential part of the curriculum. This type |
| striving of Brussels to bring all 25 E.U.States into a | | | | of training would undoubtedly save lives and |
| common standard of Tuition principles and Driving | | | | reduce the accident statistics. |