Do you remember when you passed your driving test? In Northern Ireland, a poignant article speaks of the crushing effect the coronavirus epidemic has had on this coming-of-age milestone. It seems that the Irish equivalent of our DMV, the Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA), has closed operations due to coronavirus, and some people were out of luck getting their license, or even just having a driving lesson. Trisha Turkington, a 37 year-old woman who has struggled with epilepsy for the past two decades, had, according to the BBC, only just recently “found the confidence to start lessons,”
“It took me 20 years to finally book my test, then everything stopped,” said Turkington, an employee of the National Health System at Belfast’s Royal Victoria Hospital. “It’s not like riding a bike. I’ll be back to square one after lockdown and will have to start from scratch.”
As hard as it will be, we’re glad the DVA is scheduled to reopen June 22, so Turkington and others won’t have long to wait to claw their way back to that all-important seat behind the wheel. We’ll be rooting for Turkington and all those like her, for instance, aspiring young teenage drivers.
Because everyone deserves a chance to pass a milestone.
