An average of eight vehicles a day have been seized by gardaí from unaccompanied learner drivers in the past two months.
Between 22 December 2018 and 10 February a total of 337 vehicles were seized from learner drivers because they were not accompanied by a person holding a full driving licence.
This morning, gardaí in Co Donegal seized a vehicle after a learner driver, who was being accompanied, was stopped.
However, the passenger did not hold a driver’s licence.
Donegal: Letterkenny Roads Policing Unit stopped this learner driver. The passenger in the car didn't hold a licence. Vehicle seized and court proceedings to follow. pic.twitter.com/95NKXnQ8p5
— An Garda Síochána (@GardaTraffic) February 14, 2019
Since 22 December last, car owners who allow learner drivers to use their cars unaccompanied face fines or jail terms, following the implementation of the so-called Clancy Amendment.
Noel Clancy’s wife Geraldine and daughter Louise died on 22 December 2015 after their car overturned into a flooded ditch in Co Cork following a collision with a car driven by an unaccompanied learner driver.
Susan Gleeson was on her way home when she lost control of her father’s car and crashed into the Clancy’s car.
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She received a three-year suspended sentence and was disqualified from driving for 15 years.
Mr Clancy has campaigned since the deaths of his wife and daughter for stricter laws for learner drivers.
While learner drivers must be accompanied by a person holding a full driving licence for at least two years, there are exceptions, for example when driving a work vehicle such as a tractor, or riding a motorbike - although this may be restricted to a motorbike with a particular power output (kW)
