South Meath Driving School

The Road Transport Department and the Road Safety Authority are seeing the results of too much freedom allowed to younger drivers before and after passing their test. If in the category of 17 to 25 years old and male, you’re an endangered species on Irish roads. But hold, there’s help on the way in the form of an ‘N’ plate which will render instant assistance to the statistical data, maybe. Those who pass their test will wear this badge for a further two years – from next year.
Two years ago, Cardiff University researchers recommended that newly qualified drivers should be banned from night-time driving and carrying passengers of a similar age; it would save more than 200 young lives per year and prevent 1,700 serious injuries. The figures were compiled after analysing road accident data from 2000 to 2007. Such limiting schemes operated in New Zealand, Australia and parts of the US.
Instantly, motoring organisations fired their arrows into the works: it would be very difficult to enforce and, should young drivers find themselves free to transgress the new laws, then it was figured they’d exploit further. What about this category driver who had a night job or college attendance at night? They also argued that education was the key. Alternative ideas proposed was to take the subject to the classroom rather than setting Big Brother on this group. Tell them also about the importance of controlling the use of iPods and MP3 players, was suggested. The Cardiff recommendations didn’t come into being. What have other countries done?
Western Australia – under 19s must have a zero alcohol level at all times. Night-time ban imposed for first six months.
New South Wales – New drivers display ‘P’ plates for 2 years, observe extra speed limits and have zero alcohol level.
California – Night time driving ban and carry no passenger under 20.
One must remember that there’s no Provisional Licence or Learner Permit in those States.
A distraught father in England whose 16 year old daughter was killed with three of her friends in a crash a few years ago when the driver was 18 and after passing his test, said that the test should be abolished altogether, that those children were being taught to drive simply to pass the test! He added that a learner should have a log book like an aircraft pilot where hundreds of hours would be spent in the learning process with an experienced driver. He rightly said that such driving should take place at night, in frost, snow, rain, on motorways – all under instruction. When the heart is low, it can speak loudest.
The newly proposed ‘N’–plate here will be displayed on vehicles in Class B, cars and vans, for two years after passing the test. Under this Traffic Bill, the Learner Driver who incurs six penalty points, as against the current threshold of twelve points, will lose their Licence. It’s a means of rewarding good road behaviour. Since this announcement last week, there were six people killed on our roads.
There is good reason to restrict those who have just passed their test –
• 1 in 3 male drivers aged between 17 and 20 crash in the first two years after passing their test.
• An 18 year old driver is more than three times as likely to be involved in a crash as a 48 year old driver.
• 1 in 5 drivers crash within their first year of driving.
The wags are at work, too, seeing the ‘N-plate’ becoming a ‘Z-car’ with one twist. Others recommend a D-plate for the Dunce who fails to pass etc. Such comics may one day graduate, too.