I will not be granting an exemption to learner drivers to drive unaccompanied, irrespective of the circumstances.
It must be understood that a learner permit is not a licence, but a permit to allow a person to drive while learning. The purpose of the driving test is to set out the minimum level of knowledge, skill and competency that a learner must demonstrate in order to become a fully licensed driver. Until a learner can meet this standard and pass this test, they are not safe to take to our roads without appropriate supervision.
Studies have repeatedly shown that unaccompanied learner drivers are markedly more likely to be involved in fatal collisions. For that reason, there can be no exceptions to the current laws in force around learner drivers. Regrettably, there was an increase in fatalities on our roads in 2020, despite huge reductions in traffic volumes.
An unaccompanied learner driver who is stopped by An Garda Síochána may face penalty points, a fixed charge, seizure of the vehicle and possible prosecution.
Public safety is paramount, and never more so than in the case of our essential workers, whether through infection or through death or injury on our roads. For this reason, we must not relax the standards required of our drivers before being allowed to drive unaccompanied.
