asked the Minister for Local Government whether, in the interests of road safety, he will make regulations preventing learner drivers using the main roads on Sundays and public holidays during the summer months.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Road Safety Regulations.
105.
There is no evidence that such a ban would contribute significantly towards road safety and therefore I do not propose to introduce it.
Is the Minister not aware that the temptation to overtake in a dangerous manner is greatly increased when a learner driver is driving at a very slow speed on a busy main road on a bank holiday or a Sunday? Could encouragement be given to learner drivers to drive on side roads rather than on main roads on these occasions? I have seen very dangerous driving resulting from learner drivers holding up long streams of traffic. Would the Minister ask for a study of this?
Would the Minister not agree that you can rarely get on to a side road without going via a main road? Would he not further agree that these holidays are the only times when learner drivers can get somebody to come out with them so that they can learn to drive?
I am concerned with the saving of life.
Very dramatic, but I do not think the Deputy's methods are the best.
Some inconvenience may be caused to road users going to the seaside and other places at weekends, but I do not think the inconvenience caused to some drivers because of the slowness of others would warrant such a severe restriction on the holders of provisional licences.