IRELAND has been revealed as one of the most stressful countries to learn to drive in the world.
A recent study by the driving education platform Zutobi made the revelation this week.
Learning how to drive can be a stressful and anxiety-inducing experience for anyone.
And it’s just been revealed by a recent Zutobi study that Ireland has been ranked as one of the worst countries in the world for learner drivers.
The study analysed several factors – including congestion, road traffic deaths, the amount of registered vehicles and road quality.
Ireland ranked one of the worst in the world due to severe congestion across the country.
Congestion refers to the overcrowding of vehicles on the road which leads to slower speeds, longer trip times and increased vehicle queuing.
The study found that the average journey in Ireland’s major cities takes a whopping 66 per cent longer than in normal free-flowing conditions.
The study reads: “Of all the countries we looked at, Ireland had the highest level of traffic congestion, with a score of 66 per cent, which means that the average journey in the country’s major cities takes 66 per cent longer.”
This high level of congestion means that learner drivers face constant stopping and starting which makes it harder for them to concentrate.
Most read in The Irish Sun
New driver pressure
Navigating through heavy traffic during driving lessons and tests adds pressure for new drivers.
The report also said that the quality of Ireland’s roads and the number of registered vehicles in the country contributed to the overall difficulty.
Saudi Arabia, another country highlighted in the report had the highest number of road traffic deaths, with 36 annual deaths per 1,000 people.
Poland was revealed as the worst country in the study for learner drivers due to lack of road traffic infrastructure and a high road traffic death.
Major rule change
Romania came out with the lowest road quality score in the study due to poor lighting and narrow, unmarked lanes.
This comes after Irish drivers could be hit with a major road rule change later this year.
Minister of State at the Department of Transport James Lawless has revealed a plan to introduce a new speed limit on all local roads.
Reduced speed limits are currently being introduced on a “phased basis”, and all local roads will have a 60 km/h speed limit by November.
Default limit
Speaking to RTE’s Morning Ireland, Lawless said: “The intention is that in November of this year, the 60 kilometre per hour default local road limit would be introduced.
“That will be followed in the early new year by the regional road limits and so on.”
In 2023, the Government unveiled plans to reduce the speed limit on many roads across Ireland.
The plan will also see the speed limit be reduced from 100km/h to 80km/h on all national secondary roads.
There will now be a speed limit of 30km/h in towns, cities and residential areas while roads on the fringes of urban areas could also be capped at 50km/h.