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SEVERAL HUNDRED PROVISIONAL learner drivers were convicted over failing to display L plates on their vehicles last year, according to the Minister for Justice.
Alan Shatter said that 2,718 motorists had received a summons over the failure to display the legally required signs, leading to 634 convictions.
The average fine for the offence was €133.50, according to the Courts Service.
The number of convictions has risen in recent years, with 410 people convicted in 2009, 503 convicted in 2010, and 634 convicted in 2011.
A further 854 people were convicted of driving without being accompanied by a qualified driver – a rise from 718 in 2010, and 446 in 2009 – with an average fine of €149.50.
In answer to a Parliamentary question about the introduction of penalty points for learner drivers who failed to display L plates, the Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar said he did not intend for the offence to be brought within the scope of the penalty point system at this time.
However, the Minister said a plan to introduce a graduated driver licensing system (GDLS) would include an R plate for newly-qualified drivers. The R plate will be one of nine measures that will make up the new system, which has been recommended by the Road Safety Authority.
Varadkar added that more details of the GDLS scheme would be addressed during the drafting of the next Road Traffic Bill later in the year.
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What is Minister Leo doing about eradicating huge profit for private shareholders from compulsory motor insurance premiums?
Nothing.
Just shows that it’s all about money.
If Varadkar wanted to sort this once and for all he would legislate that you are not insured without an L plate or an experienced driver beside you. What a gombeen.
What about that woman who wasnt insured, crashed her car, nearly killed her child and was awarded a couple of million for her efforts!?
The standard of driving in this country is a disgrace and some are not fit to drive a donkey and cart.I suppose it all has to do with this idiotic law when one could just stick an L P up and away you go attitude.When they brought the new law out last year I was amazed to see all the L P disappear so I assume these people all past their test first time,I certainly didn’t ,
That’s an extra €211,000 worth of fines to the state!
And €500k + in admin, salaries and wages.
Conor. Salaries and wages means job for the locals. Isnt it good?
@conor
Are you suggesting that fines should be increased, or was your comment just another generalised dig at the public service?
While we’re improving the system, how about periodic driving tests to keep us out of bad habits?
I’d also like to know what the fully licensed driver in the passenger seat is supposed to be doing for the learner.
Not much doing this morning then eh?
Periodic tests for who? Qualified drivers? Are you off your trolley!
There are a lot of terrible qualified drivers out there. The belief that following the rules of the road is important “for your test”, but then you can relax, seems prevalent.
A more continual assessment can only help improve standards.
Hows about tests for those who were given their licences during the amnesty without having to do a test?
The problem is the driving test bears no relation to real driving . For driving test you learn how to drive around like a granny ,revuring around corners. then when you pass your in the real world on. Motorway with no skills and experience from your driving test. the test is outdated by about 30 years
So you want every qualified driver to pay 80 or 100 euro every year for a continual assessment…..? Go shite…!
I agree that motorway driving should really be tested too.
If by driving “like a granny”, you mean “driving cautiously” then it is extremely relevant to real-world situations.
If I understand you correctly, the attitude expressed i your post is exactly the problem continual assessment may help solve.
no did not mean driving like granny is = to driving cautiousl. that should be a given, but doing a test and not been tested driving any faster than 30 MPH (which i was) will not test you for the real world when your on main roads
Mark, I was thinking every 5 or 10 years.
If you’re going to put words in my mouth, at least put in words you agree with. ;)
Thanks for the clarification, Paudy.
So, if the test(s) included roads faster than 30mph/50kmph, would you be happy with continual assessment, or would you feel it wouldn’t be necessary?
no i saying if we had a robust proper driving tests that tested realistic driving skills we would not continual assessment. There is loads of bad driving skills out there , but this is due to poor testing not people lossing the good skills they once had
I have no idea why L drivers cant drive on the motorways but they can drive at speeds of 80-100km on winding crap country roads where you cant see whats ahead because of hedges and bends.
Motorways are the easiest roads in the world to drive on. You barely need to use your clutch.
Got you. I agree that can only help matters.
I still think there is a problem with bad habits. For example, I see so many drivers not indicating, not looking at the road, talking on the phone etc. these are all things that would fail the current test.
motorways can be very easy and are very safe roads. however if people mis use them or dont know how to use them they can be very dangous. in a ideal world there two driving tests, the first one , the current one to test , can you use round abouts , change gears , drive at right speed etc. once to pass this you can then drive on motorways , then have a 2nd test to test how to drive at speed, over take safly , use motor ways , which lanes to use and test reactions in a realistic situations on a proper test route.
I agree with the bad habits, also rude drivers who drive up your arse! And dont get me started on those who dont even acknowledge you when you let them out onto the road if front of you!
Makes sense to me too, Paudy.
i think a garda should go out in a private car, bung up the l plates on it, and drive around correctly, ie stopping at the stop signs, slowing down at the ambers etc, and booking every last person who blows or intiminates them…theyd get much more money that way, and also an explanation as to why l drivers refuse to put up the plates…mine only went up for tests bcos of this
Agreed! I was sick of getting harassed by other drivers so I took mine down and never got a moments hassle again! Drivers intimidate learners on purpose. They dont make any allowances for them.
i can remember when i first started driving…stopping at a stop sign (ok i could see there was no traffic coming but if you get into bad habits that early its not good) i had my qualifed driver with me, and l plates up…man behind me swung inside me to overtake, blew his horn and gave me the finger…thing was if i hadnt seen him, it would have been a bad crash for me only starting…thinking back i should have noted his number and reported him for dangerous driving!!!!
Reading your “article” was like reading a story back in primary school :(
Why .. have you still problems learning to read ?
yep , sorry , I was a bit cranky reading it , needed a nap
It’s wrong that you can do your theory test and can get behind the wheel straight away. It’s also wrong that the price for the driving test and is going up every year and the waiting lists are so long!
I’ve got my licence in Romania where you don’t get the right to drive until you have the full driving licence and then you have a distinctive sticker on your car for 2 years to show you’re a beginner.
A system like the Irish one is strange to say the least
A slap on the wrist for putting other drivers and pedestrians lives at risk! Anyone caught driving unaccompanied without a full driving licence should be banned and jailed! No questions asked!
Most accidents are caused by fully licenced drivers.
Banned and jailed for what?..I believe that once person knows the rules of the road (presumably she/he does as you need that to get your provisional license) and had lets say 10 driving lessons, let them drive on their own…I know from my experience that when you are alone in the car only then you actually learning and becoming a better driver..what good is your passenger with full license if he/she only annoys you with their “advices”(distraction) shouts at you (stress) or says nothing?.. On the other hand I would like to know out of all accidents what % were provisional license holders?
Not that many or we.d have heard about it in all the road safety campaigns.
The current licensing system is a complete Joke and anyone who recently went through the nonsensical and farcical driver theory test will know what I mean. Having let my full license lapse (yes, i do accept this is my fault), i commenced the torturous and expensive process of having to start from the begining despite having near 20 years no claims, full insurance in my own name etc etc. So, I got the CD, spent a few days and discovered quite quickly that a majority of the questions have absolutely nothing to do with driving, indeed a large precentage of the questions actually have contradictory answers. Percievering, I went for the test, completed it in a grotty van in the car park of a Hotel (this in itself was hillarious), the tester was moaning about having to cover someone who was sick, he cared less generally and on completing the test, the computers crashed, luckily it had back up. It took 8 minutes and i achieved 100%. The tester proceeded to cheaply laminate a cert which was akin to something handed out in primary school and astonishingly it is valid for two years, note the next contradition with the eye test. This BS cost me 55 and the cost of getting to a centre that could actually accomodate me.
So next off to get an eye test, completed same which is valid for one calender month (another money making exercise), even the optician said it was ridiicoulous as no ones eyesite is going to deteriorate in a month.
Next off to get more photos (for in all required for this silly process)
Next off to the helpful local council office staff, looking a little stresssed, perhaps the House Hold charge taxing them a little, another 15 euro please and three days later I am the proud owner of a learner permit.
As it would happen, my insurance was up also, here’s the Kicker! Now on a learner permit but still able to avail of my substantial no claims bonus, 257 euro. All i can say is god bless a certain online insurance brokerage firm.
Joke, farce, silly is how I best describe this theory test nonsense, O and i almost forgot, I must be a good boy for 6 months before I can even consider outrageously expensive driving lessons which will probably cost me 500 euro.
Moral of the story, Buy a Bicycle!
When I got my original provisional license, i was told during my eye test that i didnt need to wear corrective lenses. A few years later i started to wear glasses so when I filled out my renewal form, I ticked the box that said I needed to wear corrective lenses, which by the way, i did! I wore glasses everyday and couldnt do without them but when i sent the form in, I was told I need another eye test to confirm that I actually needed my glasses!
How ridiculous was that?! So I went into the office, unticked the box and said i didnt need glasses and they gave me my license!
i could understand if originally I had to wear glasses and I was telling them that i didnt but this just blew me away!
Totally agree with periodic resits of driving tests, do many qualified drivers haven’t got a clue of the rules of the road. And how about making car kits forcible phones compulsory too, not just fitted, paired to the drivers phone as well- at least for all new cars registered in the state
without being unaccompanied? surely thats meant to be with being unaccompanied or without accompaniment?
Easier than prosecuting the bankers that brought the country to its knees I assume.
Once your car is up to date insurance, nct and tax the Garda don’t bother stopping you, I know some one who has done their test a load of times still drives to work unaccompanied on a provisional he must be on his tenth now
I failed 5 times. never had an accident though.
634 convictions out of 2718 summons, that sounds like a poor KPI to me.
I was stopped on 3 seperate occassions during my L plate days 2-3 years ago. No L plates displayed & no accompanying driver with me – absolutley no problems. No fines or court or anything. It all depends on how you approach it with the garda, i can only imagine the people that were convicted were cheeky or driving dangerously.
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