Driving Test Wait Times Drop to 10.4 Weeks as RSA Makes Progress

The Road Safety Authority (RSA) confirmed on Thursday that the average national waiting time for a car driving test has fallen to 10.4 weeks, down from 27 weeks at the end of April. While the reduction represents significant progress, the waiting period still exceeds the RSA's Service Level Agreement target of 10 weeks.

The improvement comes after months of intensive work to tackle unprecedented demand for driving tests across the country. The RSA's action plan has included recruiting additional testers, reallocating resources, and maximising test centre capacity to address the backlog that had frustrated thousands of learner drivers.

Despite the progress, the Authority stressed that considerable work remains. Some individual test centres continue to experience lengthy delays, creating an uneven situation where waiting times vary significantly depending on location.

RSA spokesperson:

"We are steadfast in our commitment to bring the average down to 10 weeks and below. This is not the finish line; we know that some learners are still waiting longer than they should, and we are determined to fix that. A number of centres continue to have an unacceptable wait time and our priority remains ensuring more equality, uniformity and balance between supply and demand across the country."

The RSA described the current milestone as "important but not the finish line", acknowledging that many learners continue to face frustrating delays in booking their tests. The Authority is particularly focused on addressing disparities between test centres, where some locations have managed to reduce waiting times more effectively than others.

Looking ahead, the RSA pointed to several measures that should drive further improvements in the coming weeks. New testers have been fully deployed across the network, and additional test centres are scheduled to open soon. These developments are expected to increase testing capacity and help bring waiting times closer to the target level.

However, the focus on car driving tests has created temporary challenges elsewhere in the system. Waiting times for other vehicle categories, including buses and trucks, have been affected as resources have been directed towards training and mentoring new car test examiners. The RSA acknowledged this impact but maintained that addressing the car test backlog remained a priority given the scale of demand.

RSA spokesperson:

"Our focus remains firmly on sustained improvement, supporting learner drivers, and meeting our commitments across all licence categories."

For Cork learners, the improvements will be particularly welcome as the county has experienced some of the longest waiting times nationally. Local driving instructors have reported increased pressure from students anxious to secure test dates, with many having to book tests in neighbouring counties to avoid lengthy delays.

The reduction from 27 weeks to 10.4 weeks represents a 62% improvement in waiting times since April, demonstrating that the RSA's measures are having a tangible effect. However, with the Service Level Agreement target still not met, pressure remains on the Authority to deliver further improvements before the end of the year.

Learner drivers awaiting tests are advised to check the RSA website regularly for cancellations and to ensure all their documentation is up to date to avoid any delays when test dates become available.