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17th Apr 2017

UK drivers have to prove they can safely use a Sat-Nav to pass driver’s test… will Ireland be next?

Rory Cashin

The newest addition to the driving test in the U.K. is a smart one, ensuring the the latest batch of learner drivers are capable of dealing with the modern road.

UK’s Driving and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) announced that they would be updating their tests to allow for more real life scenarios that better reflect the distractions for modern drivers.

So the new set-up is as follows: the examiner puts an address into the Sat-Nav, and then watches as the new driver follows instruction without getting distracted.

Sounds simple enough, right? And very reasonable, especially considering that the DVSA claim that around half of the drivers in the UK use some sort of the Sat-Nav for navigation.

UK transport minister Andrew Jones told BBC News that the changes would help the government keep roads safe. “Ensuring the driving test is relevant in the 21st century — for example, the introduction of sat navs, will go a long way towards doing this.”

JOE.ie put in a call to the RSA to ask whether or not this could be something that might foreseeable-y be added to the Irish driving test, but no response as of yet.

 

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