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Are all Driving Test Centres equal? Are some Driving Test Centres more equal than others? What constitutes a Driving Test Centre anyway? And what should you look for when planning your Driving Test in Ireland.

Firstly every Major Town in Ireland has its own Driving Test Centre so you should be well within a short drive of your nearest Test centre no matter where you live.

A Driving Test Centre is where you commence your practical Driving Test and has nothing to do with the Theory Test Centres which are also spread liberally throughout the country. Driver Theory Test Centres are operated under contract from the Government and came into being in 2001.

The Driving Test centres are the responsibility of the Department of Transport and are about to become part of the newly established Road Safety Authority which will control all aspects of Licensing, Driving Tests and soon the Examination, Regulation and monitoring of Driving Schools and Instructors from 2007.

A Driving Test Centre is not found in the main street of a Town or City and will be located in the suburbs but it will be a regular feature of the Driving Test to encompass parts of a town centre where heavy traffic can be experienced. Even though a Driving Test Centre may be located in a quiet part of town, out of the way of much of the commercial traffic it is important for you to get to know the wider surrounding areas in the preparation for your Test.

The facilities vary quite a lot so it s important to check out the Test Centre that you have chosen well in advance. There are several reasons for this. Firstly the older Test centres may not have Toilet facilities as in the case of Limerick s main Test Centre at Wooodview Shopping Centre. So it s a good idea to know where you can take a break and also a visit to the bathroom before your Driving Test. Having somewhere to get yourself psyched up for the Driving Test before you actually arrive at the Test Centre is a good idea .When we are hiring the School car for Test candidates we invariably have a cup of coffee in the nearest Hotel to mull over any final points that need clarifying. There is always something to discuss.

Driving Test centres are private property, sometimes Government owned and sometimes not. Where a custom built Test Centre is in operation you are not permitted to enter the grounds to check out the situation or to practise. In fact on the notice boards in Test Centres you will find explicit requests not to be practising on Test Routes during the normal hours that Test are being conducted. This is primarily aimed at Driving Instructors many of whom like to while away the hours with their pupils going round and round Test routes.

It is a free country and providing your vehicle and license are in order then it is perfectly acceptable to get to know the local area where Tests take place. It is not always possible to practise out side normal Driving Test times. So if you are practising during the day on Driving Test routes there are certain protocols that should be observed. If you happen on another Learner Driver on a Test Route assume they are on their Test and avoid them completely. Certainly never follow them .

There are many things that a Learner Driver can do to increase the probability of success on the Driving Test and one of the most important is getting to know your local Driving Test Centre and the area within a two mile radius. When you are familiar with all the key factors within your Driving Test area you will have more than a fair chance of the Pass certificate. A certificate which continues to elude those Learner Drivers who do not take the Driving Test seriously enough.

The do s and dont s are discussed in the following article Protocols to be Aware of on the Irish Driving Test

Robin Piggott is a Driving Instructor in Ireland who brings four decades of experience to his Astral Driving School based in Limerick. His newly refurbed web site can be found at http://www.astraldrivingschool.ie Here you can find a treasure trove of everything for the Learner Driver from the Theory Test to Advanced Driving Skills. Pick up a free seven part mini course “How to Pass Your Driving Driving Test First Time” and stack the cards in your favour.

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