SGI adapts road tests to comply with COVID pandemic restrictions

People who need to go for their road test to get their driver’s licence are going to face months-long waits in some parts of the province.

“In cities like Saskatoon and Regina, the waits are longer; you’re looking at 12 (or) 13 weeks. In some locations, you are able to get a test sooner than that,” SGI’s Tyler McMurchy told the Greg Morgan Morning Show on Friday.

“One of the things people should know is that when they request a test, they can check off on the form that they use to request the test that they’re willing to travel to another location to take the test. They should check off all the communities that they are willing to travel to and they might take that test a little bit sooner.”

Due to restrictions in place to help people practice social distancing, SGI has also had to change the way it does the test.

“When testing resumed back in April, our capacity to deliver those tests was severely limited because we were using, across the province, a trail vehicle method of driver testing. Saskatchewan was actually the first to get back to driver testing of any province in the country,” McMurchy said.

The instructor follows the exam taker in a different vehicle, relaying directions through a Bluetooth or other hands-free device. There is also dashcam footage the instructor will look over.

“That obviously takes longer than just sitting in the vehicle with the student and telling them at the end of the test if they’ve passed,” McMurchy said.

In October, the Crown corporation returned to in-car instruction but due to recent climbing COVID numbers, it has gone back to the trail car technique.

If you fail your test, which McMurchy says about 50 per cent do during their first attempt, you will get put to the back of the line.

“If you are one of the people who do fail their first test, use that time to practise your skills,” McMurchy said.

SGI has been giving priority to health-care workers to ensure they can get to their workplaces during the pandemic.