Average wait for road exam now 24 weeks

NEW figures from the Road Safety Authority show the country's driving test system is once again under extreme pressure, it is claimed.

- BY SEAN MURPHY

The latest numbers for the backlog shows the total is now 62% higher than it was six years ago.

There are 145,000 more learner drivers waiting for a test than in 2019. Back then, the backlog showed 233,025 learners but that total has soared to 378,652 for 2024.

The average waiting time for a test has increased in the same period from six weeks to 24 weeks.

Learners who did not show up for their scheduled driving test account for a significant chunk of the numbers.

There were 6,500 no-shows in 2023 and 8,500 wasted tests in 2024.

The RSA has pledged to recruit 70 additional driving testers this year to around 200 in total.