Road Safety Authority moves to clamp down on apps selling data on cancelled driving tests

In February, the Dáil heard that there were over 72,000 people waiting for a driving test.

The Road Safety Authority (RSA) has said it is working to clamp down on third-party online apps that tell users when driving tests have been cancelled.

With tens of thousands of people on a waiting list for driving tests — and wait times for some centres stretching as high as eight months — apps available to download for Apple and Android devices are able to access the RSA booking portal and inform users when there has been a cancellation at test centres nearby.

One such app is listed on the Apple store as the 10th most popular in Ireland in the “productivity” section, which also includes apps such as Chat GPT, Outlook and Gmail.

This app requires a payment of €15 and users are then able to receive notifications, giving them real-time updates on when a cancelled slot becomes available.

The RSA, clarifying that it is not affiliated with any such booking systems, said it does not charge any additional fee to customers availing of slots that become available at short notice.

It said in a statement: “The official RSA system has not been hacked, however, it would appear that some driving test customers are providing their log in details to third parties which then enables those parties to see short notice available test slots (5 days out).

“The RSA would advise against this practice as such sites or parties may not be secure. The RSA ICT department is  working closely with our partners to ensure that such sites or third parties are restricted in their ability to operate with a view to limiting their ability to be able to access the booking portal.” 

Labour transport spokesperson Ciaran Ahern told the Irish Examiner that he shared the concerns of the RSA about sharing personal data with a third-party but said more should be done to ensure that cancelled slots are filled, given the large waiting lists around the country.

“It’s not an efficient use of resources if driving test slots go unfilled,” he said. “The last thing you want is people not turning up.

“This is something the RSA should be addressing separately as they arise.” 

In February, the Dáil heard that there were over 72,000 people on the waiting list for a driving test, with an average wait of around 5 months.

Transport minister Darragh O’Brien said this was “trending in the wrong direction” and “far in excess of what is acceptable”.

He added recruitment for additional testers was ongoing while the number of testers sanctioned had doubled since 2022.