Students should be learning how to drive in secondary school and finish up with a driving licence, Michael Healy Rae has said.
The Independent Kerry TD was speaking amid a growing backlog in driving test waiting times.
He told Newstalk Breakfast the problem needs to be tackled.
"Over the last year this number of people waiting has increased by 61%, reaching a total of 71,554," he said.
"[The figure] is up from 44,500, which was unacceptable last October, waiting for a driving test.
"Myself and my colleagues in the Rural Independent Group are raising this this morning in the Dáil.
"We believe that the Government have to do something to recognise [the issue].
"In fairness to the Taoiseach, I spoke about this in the Dáil yesterday and he did agree.
"I've had a vision in my head for a lot of time now, and I've been speaking about it in the Dáil,that when students are going to secondary school, they should actually leave secondary school with their Leaving Certificate in one hand and with a full driver's licence in the other."
'A motorcar in each school'
Deputy Healy Rae said education around driving should be spread across the curriculum.
"In 1st, 2nd and 3rd year they could be doing the theory side of driving, and learning about the rules of the road," he said.
"Then in Transition Year and in Leaving Cert there should actually be a motorcar in each school where they would look at how to check for oil, check tyre pressure and learn about a motorcar."
Deputy Healy Rae said people in rural areas need their car.
"People in the Green Party mightn't like this, but one thing that the majority of young people will need to do and will have to do is drive a motorcar," he said.
"Particularly if they're not from the centre of Dublin or Cork or Limerick, where there's all different types of transport.
"If you're living in a rural area, the practicalities are you will have to drive a car."
'It's affecting people's lives'
Deputy Healy Rae said some people are waiting 45 weeks to sit a test.
"The waiting times are enormous; in Tralee for example you can be waiting 45 weeks to be called for a test.
"This is not reflection whatsoever on the people who are doing the tests now, but quite simply there are not enough of them.
"The average waiting time itself is something like 30 and a half weeks nationally.
"That's wrong, it's affecting people's lives," he added.
