A female driving test candidate complained of being intimidated after a driving instructor roared “Jesus Christ, woman, your handbrake” at her.
The woman said she was left upset after her car cut out and was in danger of rolling backwards and the tester screamed at her.
Her complaint was one of around 1,400 sent to the Road Safety Authority in the first five months of this year.
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Others included drivers who were failed for not driving fast enough and a candidate who got intimidated by having a tester and an inspector in the car.
One person said they failed their test due to a combination of slow driving and not being far enough left when planning a left turn.
They added: “I was punished five times for not going fast enough on the straight, which I disagree with.”
Another complainant said they had been penalised for easing off in “extremely wet conditions”.
The added: “I was given a grade 2 for ‘progress on the straight’ for driving 53km/hr in a 60km/hr zone.”
In another case, a person complained because a driving instructor insisted the air bag in the car be turned on.
They had asked the owner of the car if it could be switched on but were told it could not.
The person claimed other tests had been carried out in the car “without issue” despite the fault.
The RSA said: “It is important that all your vehicle’s safety systems are in working order and switched on.
“Not only is this a requirement for your test, but it is also in the interest of your safety and the safety of any of your passengers.”
Another test candidate alleged they were the victim of racial discrimination and said the behaviour of their instructor was “totally unexpected and very traumatising”.
They said they felt the behaviour was “race-based” with the instructor saying “Jesus Christ” up to 30 times during the test.
Their complaint said: “When we came back to the RSA office, [the driving tester] asked me if I had ever driven in my life, and also if I took any classes [or] ever met any driving instructor.”
A failed test candidate said they had been “completely intimidated” after being told an inspector would also be in the car with their driving tester.
They added: “I could see the inspector in the back when I looked to check my mirrors and reverse. I failed disastrously. I know I failed on many things and I am not disputing that, but I felt I was unfairly treated and I would like to resit my test ASAP without an inspector.”
The complaints were among a sample of 40 emails and letters released by the Road Safety Authority, from the 1,394 total they received between January and May of this year.
A spokesman for the RSA said there were complaints about less than one per cent of the tests carried out each year while around 45 per cent of candidates fail their test.
He added: “The RSA takes all complaints seriously and they are investigated, and a response issued to the customer.
“It is recognised that the driving test can be a stressful event for customers; for this reason, the RSA places a high priority on the need for driver testers to be courteous to customers and the training of driver testers emphasises this aspect.”
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