AQW 28387/17-22


Ms Kellie Armstrong
Alliance Party
Strangford


Tabled Date: 20/01/2022
Answered On Date: 31/01/2022
Priority Written: No


Question:
To ask the Minister for Infrastructure (i) how many people passed their driving theory test between April 2019 and October 2020; and (ii) how many of those people have not been able to secure a first practical driving test.


Answer:
The Driver & Vehicle Agency’s (DVA) records confirm that between 1 April 2019 and 31 October 2020, 36,860 people passed their driving theory test.
As of 25 January 2022, DVA records show that 2,213 of these people had not yet booked a practical driving test appointment. Routinely, not everyone who passes the theory test applies for a practical driving test so it is not possible to confirm how many of these people have been unable to secure a first practical driving test.
To help mitigate the impact on customers due to the cessation of practical driving tests, as a result of Covid restrictions, I brought forward legislation to extend the validity period of theory test pass certificates. Theory test certificates that were due to expire between 1 March 2020 and
31 October 2020 were extended by 12 months. In addition, theory test pass certificates which were due to expire between 1 November 2020 and 30 June 2021, and which had not already benefited from an extension, were extended by 8 months.
Rather than apply further extensions, taking on board road safety considerations I agreed that the DVA would operate a prioritised booking system for customers that focused on those that have been waiting longest. Phase 1 customers, whose theory test pass certificates will expire by 31 October 2021, opened on 26 April 2021.
The booking system for Phase 2 customers, whose theory test pass certificates will expire between 1 November 2021 and 31 March 2022, opened on 4 May 2021. The DVA contacted Phase 1 and Phase 2 customers directly before the booking system reopened to advise them of their priority access.
The booking service opened for all customers on 10 May 2021, providing everyone with a valid theory test pass certificate with equal opportunity to book a driving test, regardless of their past test history or priorities.
You will appreciate it is important to ensure that new drivers have current relevant road safety knowledge and hazard perception skills at the critical point they drive unsupervised for the first time. Hazard perception skills, a key factor in road safety, is a vital part of the preparation of new drivers, who are disproportionately represented in casualty statistics. For these reasons there are no plans to extend further the validity period of theory test pass certificates.
The DVA continues to work hard to increase its capacity to help meet the high demand for driving tests for all customers, including those who are required to take a further driving test. In the first eight full months since driving tests resumed, on 23 April, the DVA has conducted 46,525 driving tests, which is 39% higher than the five year average for that period.
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In addition to the recruitment of additional examiners, the DVA will continue to offer driving tests on a Saturday and at certain centres on Sundays where it is suitable to do so without compromising the integrity of the test. Overtime will also be used to rota off-shift dual role driving examiners to provide further capacity and to provide cover for scheduled driving tests, where due to a variety of unforeseen reasons such as sick absence or the requirement to self-isolate, driving examiners are unable to attend work.
The DVA is releasing Category B (private car) driving test appointments five months in advance with all test centres set to release driving test appointments on the first working day of each month. While additional test slots will also be released as resources continue to become available.
Due to the constantly changing position, the DVA’s advice to customers is to keep checking the booking system for availability as additional appointment slots are added when resources become available. If slots are not initially available at a customer’s preferred test centre, they may wish to consider booking a test at another centre.
I remain committed to minimising disruption and ensuring our plans for the restoration of services is in hand. However, all driving test services across these islands are experiencing high demand with longer than usual waiting times and we would ask customers for their continued patience.