L-drivers: the new rules

Learner drivers are to be hit by a raft of new measures which the Government says will cut road deaths. While also raising a few quid. Here are the proposals.

By Robert Carry

Road Safety Authority (RSA) has announced nine new measures targeting learner and ‘inexperienced’ drivers:

• All new first time learner permit holders with effect from 6 December 2010 for motorcycles and 4 April 2011 for cars will be required to undertake mandatory initial basic training (IBT) with an approved driving instructor (ADI). The course will be 16 hours for motorcycle and 12 hours for car licences. Naturally, the additional cost of this will be placed on the learner driver.

• The role of the supervising driver accompanying learner drivers will be strengthened and we will introduce a requirement for learner drivers to keep a learner log to be signed by their approved driving instructor and their accompanying driver.

• The drink driving limits for drivers with learner permits and those in their first two years on a full driving licence will be reduced to 20mg/100ml. This legislation has been passed by the Oireachtas and will come into effect in September 2011.

• The penalty points for specified offences will be increased for learner and novice drivers so that accumulation of penalty points during the learning phase and in the first two years on a full licence will pose a real threat of disqualification.

• A standard Hazard Perception Test will be developed and carried out during the novice driver phase.

• The current driving test will be altered to ‘more effectively reflect driver competencies’ which will be externally accredited. The format will change as and from the last quarter of 2011.

• Novice drivers will be required to display an R (restricted) plate during the first two years of their full driving licence to support the restrictions that are placed on their licence for that duration.

• The current Driver Theory Test will be ‘reconfigured’.

• The RSA is make sentencing options available to the courts for driving offences for learner and novice drivers more stringent.

If you are a learner driver, JOE suggests you log onto the RSA site and apply for your test ASAP.

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