Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 29 May 2014
133. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on whether requiring all driver testing vehicles to require ABS brakes is potentially dangerous, in that many vehicles on the road do not have ABS brakes and new drivers will therefore not have experience driving such vehicles; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23577/14]
View answerI replied to this same Question from the Deputy on 17th April 2014 and the position has not changed. It is not the case that all vehicles used in driving tests must have anti-lock brakes (ABS). However vehicles used in tests for categories C1, C1E, C, CE, D1, D1E, D, DE must have ABS.
The requirements for vehicles to be used in driving tests are set at EU rather than national level, under section 5.2 of Annex II to Directive 2006/126/EC, as amended by Directive 2012/36/EU. The EU standards are minima. Member States may choose more stringent criteria but not less stringent criteria. In all of the categories mentioned above the EU legislation explicitly requires that the vehicles used in the test have ABS. Member States do not therefore have the option to choose otherwise.
