Unaccompanied learner drivers will now face penalty points

Learner drivers who are caught driving without a fully qualified motorist beside them will receive penalty points for the first time along with a possible €1000 fine.

Gone are the days when you’d get a telling off for driving on your ‘L’ plates without someone beside you. Previously, it wasn’t uncommon for unaccompanied drivers to just get a right telling off by a Garda in order to put the fear of God into them so that they wouldn’t do it again.

However, the Guards won’t be giving out second chances anymore, as they will be dishing out penalty points instead.

Under the new system, which is being finalised by Transport Minister Leo Varadkar, unaccompanied drivers will receive one penalty point and a fine of €80, or three points if they appeal and lose in their case court where they will also face a fine of up to €1,000.

The move comes after it emerged a large number of fatal road traffic collisions have resulted in the death of unaccompanied learner drivers as of late.

According to statistics, around one in every 15 road deaths since January 2009 has involved an unaccompanied learner driver in one way or another.

So, it looks like mothers and fathers across the country will be getting a lot more lifts to the shops in the coming months, whether they like it or not.