300 test applications per hour

SINCE the changes were announced on Thursday learner drivers have booked 3,000 tests at the rate of 300 an hour — compared to 800 a day normally.

While the average waiting time for driving tests is now around 18 weeks, there are some parts of the country where the wait can exceed 30 weeks, latest figures show.

More than 120,000 people are waiting to do the test, including 30,000 out-sourced to SGS Ireland, contracted by the Road Safety Authority (RSA).

Reacting to the legislative changes, learner drivers turned up in droves at testing centres in some parts of the country yesterday in a bid to have their applications processed.

A website where learners can apply for driving tests also crashed for a number of hours yesterday due to the volume of hits.

Latest RSA driver test statistics show Mullingar, Co Westmeath, has the shortest average waiting time of seven weeks.

The longest average waiting time of 31 weeks is Athlone, Co Westmeath, with 805 drivers waiting to be tested.