If a newly qualified driver tots up six penalty points in their first two years of driving they’ll be banned from the road for a six-month period.
This measure forms part of the Government’s new plans to reduce further the number of road deaths in Ireland. All drivers currently have an ‘allowance’ of 12 penalty points. Legislation covering the new laws is expected to be debated before the summer.
Included in the rules is the requirement for drivers to display ‘R’ (for “restricted”) plates for two years after passing their driving test. They may also be subject to a lower drink driving limit, down from 50- to 20mg per 100ml of alcohol.
A source in Transport Minister Leo Varadkar’s office confirmed to The Independent that the new legislation is on the way: “The bill is a priority for the minister and he expects it to be submitted to the Government in a matter of weeks.”
News of the forthcoming changes to the law follow on from the introduction of new rules on April 4 of this year, designed to improve driver training. Learner drivers are now required to take a minimum of 12 one-hour lessons from a qualified driving instructor and keep a driving log.
Despite the focus on learner drivers, figures suggest that they continue to ignore the rules applied to them. More than 900 learners have already been caught this year either driving without a qualified driver or not displaying their L-plates.
A learner must be accompanied by a person with a full driving licence for a full two years. If convicted, the punishment can be up to €1,000 and/or three months in jail. Driving without L-plates attracts similar penalties.