New Provisional Licence Requirements

[Ringo]

A jury yesterday called for the provisional driving license regime to be enforced after an inquest heard that the teenage driver of a car in which two young men died had only received her first licence four weeks before the tragic crash.

The call came as Theresa Dingivan (21) yesterday confirmed to a coroner's inquest that she had no formal driving instruction before the tragic accident two years ago and only got her first provisional license four weeks beforehand.

Pressure

She had bought her 13-year-old car two months earlier, did not know how to check the tyre pressure on her new car and had not hired a mechanic to inspect the vehicle.

The only driving instruction she received was from her boyfriend.

http://www.independent.ie/national-n...g-1870803.html

We need to start enforcing the law & maybe have a restricted licence for a year when someone first pass's their test.

[Macy]

We need to start enforcing the law & maybe have a restricted licence for a year when someone first pass's their test.

I'd agree with you about enforcement, but I'd wait until we're enforcing the current laws before introducing anything else. From what I can see, they're not enforcing the laws about accompanied drivers at all. Lots of cars with L plates on the motorways, where they shouldn't be (accompanied or not).

Talk of curfews, lower alcohol limits etc are pure window dressing - enforce the current laws and when there's general compliance, then look at further restrictions (if necessary). If there isn't the cops to enforce the current laws, adding new ones will make zero difference.

[Newryrep]

I'd agree with you about enforcement, but I'd wait until we're enforcing the current laws before introducing anything else. From what I can see, they're not enforcing the laws about accompanied drivers at all. Lots of cars with L plates on the motorways, where they shouldn't be (accompanied or not).

Talk of curfews, lower alcohol limits etc are pure window dressing - enforce the current laws and when there's general compliance, then look at further restrictions (if necessary). If there isn't the cops to enforce the current laws, adding new ones will make zero difference.

Nail on the head, you still have the same old 'we need new laws lower limits guff from politicians and Gay Byrne.

Any time you see a drink driving conviction they tend to be 2-5 times over the limit - lowering the limit will make no difference to these guys

[KevB76]

I believe one of the lads killed in that incident was a Cobh Ramblers U21 player at the time, by the way.

[reder]

maybe have a restricted licence for a year when someone first pass's their test.

What good would restricting a persons licence for a year do? The point of the test is to prove that you are good enough to drive on the road unaccompanied. If the tester passes you, then you are good enough and should be allowed to drive alone.

From my experience with the private pilots licence syllabus, I think that the following requirements from that should be imported in some form:

- A minimum of X (10 perhaps) hours certified instruction should be undertaken (logged and stamped by the driving school) and the instructor/driving school should have to sign off to say that they believe that you are suitable to sit your final test.

- As part of the 10 hours, a minimum of 3 hours dual control motorway tuition should take place.

- A significant written exam should have to be passed before you can sit the actual driving test. The questions in the exam should be of a far higher standard than that current mockery of an exam.

- Commerical drivers should be forced to resit their test every 2 years after they have passed and all other drivers should resit every 5 years. This should weed out some of the awful drivers out there and those who were given their licence for free in decades gone by.

I also think that the current laws should actually be implemented. (i.e. when the police check for tax and insurance, they should also check your licence.)

In short, driving on the road should be a privilege not a right.

[Macy]

- As part of the 10 hours, a minimum of 3 hours dual control motorway tuition should take place.

Whether post or pre test, there should be motorway/ dual carriageway as part of the lessons. Everything from the way people join the motorway to lane discipline on it is brutal in this country imo.

But, at this point provisional licence holders, unaccompanied are still using the motorways unchecked.