Under new regulations proposed by the Road Safety Authority, all new first time learner permit holders with effect from 6 December 2010 for motorcycles and 4 April 2011 for cars will be required to undertake mandatory initial basic training (IBT) with an approved driving instructor (ADI). The course will be 16 hours for motorcycle and 12 hours for car licences, writes Trish Whelan.
Learner drivers will be required to keep a learner log to be signed by their approved driving instructor and their accompanying driver.
The drink driving limits for drivers with learner permits, and those in their first two years on a full driving licence, will be reduced to 20mg/100ml. This legislation has been passed by the Oireachtas and will come into effect in September 2011.
The penalty points for specified offences will be increased for learner and novice drivers so that accumulation of penalty points during the learning phase and in the first two years on a full licence, will pose a real threat of disqualification.
A standard Hazard Perception Test will be carried out during the novice driver phase. It will specifically address risk taking and perception of risk among novice drivers.
The current driving test will be modernised and the RSA will introduce a new externally accredited driving test format in the last quarter of 2011.
Novice drivers will be required to display an R (restricted) plate during the first two years of their full driving licence to support the restrictions that are placed on their licence for that duration.
The current Driver Theory Test question bank and supporting learning materials will be reconfigured to make it more effective as a learning tool.
The RSA will engage with the Department of Justice and Law Reform, the Gardai and the Courts Service to develop the range and combination of sentencing options available to the courts for driving offences for learner and novice drivers.
RSA boss Noel Brett is making a plea to parents to increase their involvement in supervising their young adults learning to drive. Whilst the mandatory lessons, he says, will not apply to existing learner permit holders, he urges all learner drivers to engage with an ADI and to undertake structured training.
