Passyourdrivingtest

PASS YOUR DRIVING TEST IN IRELAND

KATHLEEN COMERFORD has been preparing drivers for driving-test success since 1999. She trained with the UK’s Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) and worked for several years with the IAM in Ireland. Kathleen trained fleet drivers in risk assessment and has worked with the Irish School of Excellence in running driver-education programmes for transition-year students.

PASS YOUR DRIVING TEST IN IRELAND

A HANDBOOK FOR SUCCESS

KATHLEEN COMERFORD

First published 2018 by The O’Brien Press Ltd, 12 Terenure Road East, Rathgar, Dublin 6 D06 HD27, Ireland Tel: +353 1 4923333; Fax: +353 1 4922777 Email: books@obrien.ie Website: www.obrien.ie The O’Brien Press is a member of Publishing Ireland.

ISBN: 978-1-84717-963-0 Text © Kathleen Comerford 2018 Copyright for typesetting, layout, editing, design © The O’Brien Press Ltd All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced or utilised in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or in any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

The author has made every reasonable effort to ensure the accuracy of the content of this book. No legal responsibility is accepted for any errors or omissions. It is intended to be used in conjunction with your RSA ADI driving lessons.

Image credits: pp. 42 and 82, Alamy; pp. 2, 16, 27, 35, 41, 53, 55, 56, 84, 124 by courtesy of the author; pp. 79 and 105 by courtesy of the New Zealand Transport Agency; pp. 24, 58, 60, 62, 63, 65, 67, 76, 90, 99, 100, 101, 115, 118, 121 by Red Rattle Design; pp. 14, 38, 39, 74, 75, 77, 78, 91, 104, 105, 126 by courtesy of the Road Safety Authority.

87654321 22 21 20 19 18 Printed and bound by Drukarnia Skleniarz, Poland.

The paper in this book is produced using pulp from managed forests.

Published in:

CONTENTS

Introduction and some advice

7

How to use this book

10

1

The stepping stones to driving

12

2

Applying for your driving test

17

3

Brain training for drivers

20

4 Pre-test practice 29 5 Test date 31 6

On the day of your driving test

34

7 Rules and checks 38 8 Vehicle controls 47 9

Systems for safe driving

57

10

Mirrors and blind spot

65

11 Signals 69 12 Position 73

13 Observation 83 14 Hazards 88 15 Speed 90 16 Traffic controls 95 17

Safe clearance and overtaking

98

18 Right of way 103 19 Progress 107 20 Courtesy 112 21 Set-piece manoeuvres 114 22 Parking 122 23

Returning to the test centre and alighting

123

Introduction and some advice

Introduction and some advice

This book tells you exactly what to do in order to pass your driving test. It tells you exactly when to do it and exactly why you need to do it: to drive with due care and consideration for all other road users. This is the underlying ethos behind the driving test, and it’s what the tester is looking for from you. It is all wrapped up with a good measure of common sense to apply in all areas of your driving.

My father taught me how to drive. He had advanced driving skills as he had driven a double-decker bus around London in the 1960s. Safety was number 1, but not in a regimented, military way – more in a kind and courteous way. I never drove unaccompanied on my first provisional as that was the law then in 1985.

This gave me hours of training and practice and a passion for safety.

Later, in 1997, I trained to become a driving instructor with the Orwell School of Motoring under the expert guidance of Kevin O’Byrne. I set up my own school, Sunbury Driving, in 1999, which I still run. My grandfather had also taught my neighbours to drive years before so it must be in my blood. In 2000, I trained and worked for the IAM (Institute of Advanced Motorists) under the expert guidance of Mike Kavanagh. I was trained in advanced risk assessment and ‘crash prevention’ driving skills and passed my advanced driving test in 2001. I ran the Hibernian Ignition Scheme for the IAM until 2007, where we trained newly qualified young drivers in safer driving skills to get cheaper insurance and reduce their risk on the road.

In my own school I teach from beginners to driving test and to advanced level.

I am passionate about teaching safer driving skills to all drivers. As a result, I have I ntrod u ction and so m e ad v ice 7

a very high pass rate and a five-star rating on Google. I have a wealth of experience in training drivers of all ages and standards to improve their skills and techniques. My successes to date have included teaching a sixty-eight-year-old woman to drive who then passed her driving test at the age of seventy. I have also run driver-education programmes with the Irish School of Excellence for transition-year students in secondary schools such as Blackrock College and VEC Cabinteely. The diversity of my clients has continued to guide the evolution of my teaching. In 2007, I qualified as an NLP (neuro-linguistic programming) practitioner in order to help nervous drivers overcome their fears and phobias.

In Pass Your Driving Test in Ireland, I draw on my twenty years of front-line experience teaching and preparing drivers for the driving test. Every section of the test is covered and explained in simple and easy-to-apply steps. The book contains advice on how to: ʈʈ eliminate any bad habits you may have developed, such as coasting; ʈʈ overcome your nerves by using NLP skills and techniques; ʈʈ use simple advanced driving tips to help raise your driving standard; ʈʈ increase your confidence and prepare you to pass.

The book is clearly structured to help you in each driving section on which the tester will test you. You will be instructed on what to do and how to do it to become a more confident car and road driver. I hope the information will help you pass your test first time. I also hope you will drive this way for life, not just in your driving test.

I have seen drivers excel in confidence and ability from the simple yet effective tips I have given them. These tips are in this book for you to learn and put into daily practice so that you too can experience the joy of passing your driving test and becoming a safer driver. I have a passion for excellence and a dedication to the advancement of safer driving standards in Ireland. With this book and my 8 PA SS YOU R D R I V I N G T E ST I N I R E L A N D

online driver-education and training website, I aspire to impart to all drivers the core skills and safety techniques needed for our busy roads today.

‘Go n-eirí an bóthar leat!’, an Irish blessing meaning ‘May the road rise to meet you.’

Kathleen

I ntrod u ction and so m e ad v ice 9

How to use this book

I wrote this book to give you, the driver, the information you need in order to pass your driving test – and to give it to you in a structured but user-friendly way.

Over my twenty years’ experience, I have identified that more than just facts are required when getting to test standard. For that reason, I have included sections on brain training and visual training to get you thinking and planning ahead for a safer drive. I also introduce you to advanced skills such as ‘commentary drive’, which means talking about the road to improve your connection with it and your ability to make safe decisions on it.

I also address fears you may have about the control of the car or with features of the road such as roundabouts, and I introduce you to simple ways to get beyond those fears. I teach you to take a systematic approach to moving off, stopping and taking right and left turns so you minimise the number of faults you gather when doing these in your driving test. Imagine how many left and right turns you take over twenty to forty minutes of driving!

There are chapters on each of the seventeen areas of driving on which you are tested, based on the Driving Test Report sheet the tester uses – everything from mirrors and observation while driving to the dreaded reverse. Some of these chapters are subdivided into more detail. For example, you are tested on seven section in ‘Observation’: (1) moving off; (2) overtaking; (3) changing lanes; (4) at cross-junctions; (5) at roundabouts; (6) turning left; and (7) turning right. I simplify and explain each of these subsections.

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I have used lots of visuals because ‘a picture paints a thousand words’ and helps the learning process. I even contacted the New Zealand government to get permission to use their roundabout visuals so you get a clearer understanding of them. I have kept the information simple and easy, and there are generous doses of common sense stitched throughout the book – an important ingredient and one that is required on the day of your test!

There are also teaching stories from past clients with a touch of humour to help the learning process even further. Chapter 1 outlines all the steps required from getting your learner permit to applying for your driving test. This is to assist anyone who wishes to begin that journey or for international drivers who need to get an Irish licence. I outline exactly what happens on the day of the test and give you advice on how to prepare.

My advice is to read the book all the way through first then start with a section you feel you need to work on. Learn off the systems for safe driving and practise them every time you are driving. The reverse, turnabout and hill start are set pieces and need to be practised to perfection so that no marks go against you on them. It’s important that you believe you can pass your driving test.

Remember Henry Ford, who created the Ford Model T car in 1908 and who said, ‘Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t, you’re right.’ I think you can!

I’d like to dedicate this book to my father, Thomas, who taught me to drive for the comfort and safety of my passengers – and that it’s a long road without a turn. I also dedicate it to my mother, Nora, for her patience sitting beside me while I built up my driving skills and confidence and for reminding me when I was too close to parked cars. If you have any queries or concerns, please feel free to contact me via my website, www.sunburydriving.ie, and I will be more than happy to help you.

H O W TO U S E T H I S B O O K 11

1.

The stepping stones to driving

The following steps outline what you need to do to get your learner permit and prepare for your driving test.

YOUR LEARNER PERMIT Apply for a Public Service Card (PSC) if you do not have one already. Since June 2017, the PSC is required as a proof of ID before you can sit your theory test. Register with and book a face-to-face appointment with the Department of Social Protection office near you. When attending the appointment you will need: ʈʈ evidence of identity (passport, birth certificate or driver’s licence from another country); ʈʈ evidence of your Irish address.

Once you get your PSC, you can apply for the RSA Driver Theory Test at www.theorytest.ie. There are forty-one theory-test centres in the country. Choose the one nearest you. You can buy the test-preparation material (in the form of a CD-ROM, online app or book) on the website too, or contact your local library to see if it has it. The questions in The Official Driver Theory Test: Questions and Answers are designed to test your knowledge and also to make you think about the different situations you will come across as a driver.

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In the theory test, you will have forty-five minutes to answer forty questions.

You must get thirty-five correct. The wording can be tricky, so read each question carefully. When you have your Driver Theory Test Pass Certificate, you can apply for your learner permit.

There are thirty-six National Driver Licence Service (NDLS) centres (see www. ndls.ie), and you can book online for a face-to-face appointment. You will need to bring the following documents with you: ʈʈ fully completed application form for learner permit (D201); ʈʈ your PPSN (Personal Public Service Number); ʈʈ Driver Theory Test Pass Certificate (dated within two years); ʈʈ fully completed NDLS eyesight report form (D502; dated within one month); ʈʈ NDLS medical form (dated within one month) if you suffer from any diseases or disabilities listed on the RSA website; ʈʈ evidence of your current address (dated within six months); ʈʈ photographic ID; ʈʈ evidence of residency entitlement (birth certificate or passport); ʈʈ the relevant fee.

All forms can be downloaded from the RSA website, or you can get them in your local garda station, NDLS centre or driving-test or theory-test centre. Your photograph and signature will be captured at the NDLS office. Now is a good time to get the Rules of the Road to be your companion on your journey through learning to drive safely. You can download a copy from the RSA website or buy one.

T H E ST E P P I N G STO N E S TO D R I V I N G 13

LEARNING TO DRIVE Once you get your learner permit, you can begin to take professional driving lessons. You will find a list of approved driving instructors (ADIs) on the RSA website under ‘Find an Instructor’. It’s a good idea to do some research to find one that suits you. Many of my students say they ring me after reading my five-star reviews on Google.

It is mandatory that you take a minimum of twelve Essential Driver Training (EDT) modules. These will guide you through the different stages of learning to drive. Learning to drive is a bit like learning to walk all over again. There’s a lot of coordination of hands and feet and eyes. The RSA also advises a minimum of three hours’ practice sessions between these modules for you to practise the new skills. This practice can be done with your instructor or with a parent or sponsor (a driver who has held a full licence for at least two years).

On your first lesson, your ADI will register you with the RSA, and they will give you a logbook in which they will record your twelve EDT sessions over the next few months. These are uploaded to the RSA website by your ADI. Upon completion of the twelve EDTs and many hours of practice (I advise sixty hours plus), you can apply for your driving test. Continue to practise as you wait for your test 14 PA SS YOU R D R I V I N G T E ST I N I R E L A N D

and aim to double those hours. The more you practise, the better your chances of passing. I drove for two years as a named driver on my parents’ car, then passed first time.

APPLYING FOR YOUR DRIVING TEST If you are a complete beginner, you can do your driving test once you’ve completed the twelve modules, plus a minimum of thirty-six hours’ training and it is six months since your learner permit was issued.

INTERNATIONAL DRIVERS If you already have a licence from another country, you are exempt from the sixmonth restriction. You can apply to the RSA for your driving test once you complete the twelve EDT modules and have a letter of entitlement from the relevant licensing authority in your home country. This is a driver record with details of name, address, date of birth, driver number, date of expiry of licence and class of licence to include details of what that class refers to. (See the RSA website for more information.) In Ireland, there is a mutual exchange of driving licences with European countries, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. If you have a licence from any other country, you will need to go through the process listed above.

On the day of your driving test, you can have an interpreter with you for the Rules of the Road questions and the checks prior to the drive. However, the interpreter cannot go on the test with you.

DRIVERS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS You should notify the RSA’s Driver Testing Section in advance if you have a severe hearing problem, are restricted in your movements or have any disability that

T H E ST E P P I N G STO N E S TO D R I V I N G 15

A car modified for a driver with a disability.

might affect your driving, or if you drive an adapted vehicle. This will ensure you don’t face any delays on the day of your test.

If you use a wheelchair, it is possible to have the first part of your test (where you are examined on your knowledge of the Rules of the Road) in your vehicle. If you wish to be tested in the test centre, check in advance that they can facilitate wheelchair access. Most driving-test centres in Ireland are wheelchair accessible.

If the vehicle you present for the test is adapted to suit a disability (e.g., it has additional controls), this will be signified on your full driving licence via a code.

If you are deaf or hard of hearing, you are allowed to have an interpreter with you for the first part of the test. Your interpreter cannot be your driving instructor, and they cannot accompany you on the practical part of your test (i.e. the test of your driving skills). The tester may show written instructions for the first part of the test and display them as appropriate; they might also use basic sign language.

DYSLEXIA If you have dyslexia and have a problem distinguishing between your right and left, just let the examiner know in advance, and they will give you a hand signal to help you.

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