asked the Minister for the Environment the number of road traffic accidents reported in each of the last ten years involving learner drivers or drivers with a provisional driving licence; and the number of deaths resulting from traffic accidents involving learner drivers or drivers with a provisional licence in each of those years.
Written Answers . - Road Traffic Accidents .
581.
: Information in the form requested by the Deputy is not readily available. Figures are, however, available in the annual reports "Road Accident Facts", published by An Foras Forbartha, of the numbers of learner drivers, i.e. holders of provisional licences, involved in accidents resulting in death or injury. The figures set out in the table below have, for ease of reference, been extracted from the appropriate tables in "Road Accident Facts" Reports for the years 1972-1981 (inclusive), copies of which are available in the Dáil Library.
|
Year |
Number of learner drivers involved in fatal or injury accidents |
|
1972 |
843 |
|
1973 |
781 |
|
1974 |
741 |
|
1975 |
412 |
|
1976 |
726 |
|
1977 |
736 |
|
1978 |
841 |
|
1979 |
709 |
|
1980 |
575 |
|
1981 |
616 |
In 1981, learner drivers represented 19 per cent of the total number of licence holders, 212,000 out of 1,092,000. Learner drivers were involved in 10 per cent of the fatal and injury accidents in that year.