asked the Minister for Local Government why, in view of the fact that motor vehicles are at present fitted with automatic signal devices, so many applicants for driving licences are being turned down for failing to give correct hand signals; and if he will instruct his examiners to require correct signals to be substituted for correct hand signals in the test.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Driving Signals.
14.
A driver may legally signal his intention to other traffic by giving the appropriate prescribed hand signal. A competent driver understands the significance of such a signal given by another driver and is himself able to give an appropriate hand signal should the occasion arise. The hand signals to signal different intentions are embodied in Rules of the Road, a satisfactory knowledge of which is a statutory requirement to passing the driving test.
A person undergoing the driving test uses his normal method of signalling but for a part of the test run he is asked to demonstrate his familiarity with hand signals. A person who cannot give the correct hand signals cannot be deemed to be competent or to have a satisfactory knowledge of Rules of the Road and therefore cannot be granted a certificate of competency.
Is the Minister not aware that hand signals are not used by anybody, even by the drivers of State cars, except in very exceptional circumstances and with very old vehicles and that it is almost impossible to lower the windows of some cars in time to give a hand signal, even if it were possible to do so? Would the Minister reconsider the whole matter? It has become a joke. People are being rejected on their driving test for not knowing a signal which they never use and which even the people testing them do not use.
If there is no other device for signalling, hand signals are a "must". If they are not using them in such circumstances, they are not driving correctly. If they do not know how to make them, then they do not know what they should know, according to the test pamphlet which goes out to them. Surely it is not asking too much that they should at least know how to give these hand signals? This is prescribed as part of the test. I cannot see any point, therefore, in the Deputy's question.
Is it because it is stated in the handbook that hand signals are required? Would the Minister not consider changing the law if it is necessary to come up to modern standards, because, on every motor vehicle now, there is a mechanical signalling device?
They do not always work.
Then the Gardaí should prosecute the person who is using the car.
Would it not be much simpler for all concerned to learn both sets of signalling?
Supposing it is impossible to learn the hand signals? The Minister knows that his driver, or any other Minister's driver, does not give them.
Neither the Deputy nor I know that.
We can take a good guess on it.
Only a guess.