Learner drivers who fail their driving test twice will be required to take additional driving lessons in order to go back on the road, under new Government proposals.
The minister responsible for road safety, Sean Canney, told RTÉ’s This Week programme that he also plans to introduce changes to the law by next month which would require learner drivers to sit a driving test after their third learner permit.
If they fail their test, they will be allowed to obtain a further three learner permits before they have to take the test again.
However, if they fail the test for a second time, the minister said drivers would be required to take additional driving lessons before going back on the road.
“This is all about safety on the roads, we need to make sure that people are legally driving their vehicles on the roads.
“The objective of this is to ensure that everybody on the roads is a qualified driver and has the necessary skills to manage, operate and drive a car in a safe manner,” Mr Canney said.
The minister said the changes will not require legislation and can be signed into law as regulations which do not require the approval of the Dáil.
Asked if he thought it was fair that people would only have two chances to pass their test before they would be required to obtain new driving lessons in order to get back on the road, the minister said: “Obviously if you do your test and you fail, and then you get another three learner permits, and you do your test and you fail, you have been on the road for at least six years, and by then people will have their skills honed to the level required to pass the test.”
He said if someone fails a second test “it speaks to the point, what are they doing wrong, and maybe they do need to go back and get some more instruction and learn the skill better before they take the test again”.
Asked whether he had the support of his Cabinet colleagues, including rural TDs, who represent people who may be fearful of failing their test twice and going back to square one, he said he understands that people will be concerned about the proposals.
“But when you take it that there are around 12,000 people a year who don’t show up for their test, and up to 40,000 people who don’t have a licence, we have to reduce that, and normalise people having a full driving licence.”