I’m currently on an L plate now, and I know people who passed their test recently. The behaviour of other drivers to Learner drivers is absolutely terrible, almost every time I leave the house I’m overtaken by other drivers, despite being at the speed limit. I also get occasionally harassed for not being quick enough away from lights when the driver beside me hasn’t even moved yet. I’ve been told all of this behaviour stops as soon as the L-plates come down, and I can’t be identified as inexperienced. I don’t want to go through my test to have another two years of other drivers bullying me on the road because I’m less experienced, thanks, I did my test and I’ve been proved to the exact same level as everyone else.

Will just be another expense, allowing insurers to provide smaller reductions in insurance costs to drivers. As well as adding another nice pile of paperwork to the tax office, which should all already be automated at this stage

Good idea but will it be implemented? Will people bother to put them up? My wife is from the north and if she were to not bother with her R plate when she first passed her test she’d be in serious trouble but the problem here people have the attitude “ah sure it’s grand”. I don’t think people fear the Gardaí enough to follow through, we all know people who drive around without an L plate, and without a licensed driver, who are still learner drivers.

Rant over.

I assume they have data that demonstrates that drivers cause a significant number of accidents within the first two years of obtaining their full licence, and that suggests that displaying R plates would have reduced the number of accidents. It should be easy to draw conclusions on these points from the information gathered by the Gardai at accidents.

im a learner myself, and since iv started im shocked at how many fully licenced drivers are BAD drivers, no indicators, cutting corners, overtaking needlessly, not paying full attention when merging, and dont get me started on roundabouts!!!!!!!! learner drivers Must now take a minimum of 12 lessons, and are far more competent and aware once test comer then they would have been say 5 years ago. Forget R plates, id be more worried about ‘experienced’ drivers

No. I understand the theory, but if you aren’t a confident driver, you shouldn’t be able to pass your test. Besides, the worst drivers by far are not in this category. Ever been almost forced off the road by an idiot dangerously overtaking you, then pulling in right in front of you? Guarantee it wasn’t a young newly qualified driver in a hatchback. I’d bet a significant amount of money it was a middle aged businessman in an Audi or BMW. And don’t get me started on older drivers.

I don’t see the point of this. If the driving test is a sufficient examination of your driving skills then anyone passing should not have to display any plates.
Is a driver with 6 years driving experience more of a novice when they pass their test than a driver with a full licence with just 2 years driving experience?

a lot of the above must forget they were learner drivers at one time iv a license years but i never forget the experience of learning to drive

We have it in the North and in my opinion is a good idea as for me anyway, you don’t properly learn how to drive until you pass the test.
But 2 years is too long, 6 months is time enough.

I think it’s a bad idea. These new licence holders have been deemed to be good enough to drive a car unaccompanied. The Government need the Gardaí to crack down on learner drivers more who go out by themselves. I them everyday, especially on motorways and it is unacceptable. Learner drivers should have motorway experience as part of their test but an R plate will leave them open to intimidation from other drivers on the road.

I dont know about this one, many fully licensed drivers are intolerant of learner drivers whilst having adopted many bad habits themselves. There are times I would just love to be a traffic cop! As a driver with a full license, I pride myself with having a good enough memory to remember the days when my car once bore the big red letter L and appreciated when other drivers were courteous to me on the roads. I think they should go back to the drawing board on this one!

I would be more in favor of a revamp of the driving test. To the best of my knowledge (and I could be wrong) all driving tests take place in built up areas on fairly good roads and during daylight hours. Once a test is passed a driver is then allowed drive on any type of road at any time of the day, including motorways which if they obeyed the law they would have never had any practice or experience of driving on before. Why not change the the test to include motorway and back road driving?

What a waste of time people who have just passed their test are not the problem! they are usually much safer drivers than people who are on the roads years. If they re- tested people who have a full licence and are driving years im sure majority would fail due to unsafe driving and bad habits.

More like *anker

I don’t think it’s learner drivers we need to worry about. They’re probably the safest drivers out there. It’s the people who have been driving years that we need to focus on. I’d rather drivers got retested every 5 to 10 years to make sure they are still following the rules of the road.

R plates isn’t going to create better drivers.

What about B for bad drivers

I don’t think it’s a good idea. I have my l-plates up and it doesn’t stop other drivers losing patience or beeping me when I’m having a lesson. If people know it’s a novice driver, I don’t see how it would make people any more understanding. It’s a good thing to maybe have it on the driver’s licence for Gardai to see, but I don’t see any benefit in identifying new drivers. There are some pretty aggressive “know-it-alls” out there already.

How about restricting the size of the car a Leaner is allowed drive, Its the law on Motorbikes. Lay down the conditions on which you can drive, if a learner? Saying that, experienced drivers have more bad habits then any learner. So restrict the size of engine and get the driver to present the car at a Garda Station with the plates on, to get their licensed stamped by a garda to say they have plates up. If caught without them, ban them or fine them!

But Michael drivers over here drive to a high standard. Driving in Ireland is like driving on a race track! There are also narrow roads here. In Ireland there are very narrow roads but the speed limit on them is crazy. Being able to drive like a rally car driver is not a standard that should be encouraged.

The driving licence is a qualification. I understand the implementation of L plates but as far as I’m concerned as soon as somebody passes their test they are qualified… I would have no problems with an “L” plate graduating to an “R” plate meaning they are unaccompanied learners and after the “R” plate a person would go on to take their driving test to obtain a full licence but the current siggestion just doesnt sit right with me

The article only states that a newly qualified driver has to display the plates, but what other restrictions would apply.
In Northern Ireland R or restricted drivers can only drive to a maximum of 45mph, which can cause problems on rural roads, and motorways/carriageways etc .
plus it does not give the R driver experience of driving at the national speed limit or of overtaking, which can prove dangerous after a year.

Wow lots of pro drivers here. The driving tests you all speak of bear no resemblance to driving on the road. Example. Do you do your test in all weather conditions. Answer no. Even the driving instructors in this country stay at home when it snows. Putting more restrictions on L drivers is just a money making scam. Some L drivers have a natural ability to drive because they understand the whole dynamics of the vehicle they drive & more importantly whats going on around them. You can learn to walk to the north pole but there is no substitute for experience. Driving is the same. Take our attitude towards large vehicles what do you think of them & their drivers. They however drive more than anyone & train every year & they have to do at least 3 driving tests & most of us reckon they cant drive. The problem with driving in this country is our mentality of “this is my part of the road & I will defend it to the death“. To me if you want to learn good driving behaviour take an advanced coarse in the UK. They are the best drivers in world bar none. They have great driving craft because they dont just drive their own vehicles they allow for others as well. More legislation just means more costs. We were all happy when we saw legislation ramped up on speeding. However the only places I see cameras is on our safest roads motorways. This is purely revenue driven. If you the government to implement safety on our roads get your wallets out or we can change our attitudes on the road & this will bring bigger rewards.

No, no and no! It’s fine to put on a “learner” sign when you are learning to drive but after that no. You passed your test and that’s it!

Studies show it reduces road fatalities. Seems annoying, but if it saves lives I’m cool with it.

This is a ridiculous idea. When a driver has passed their test there’s an obvious assumption that the person is competent otherwise what is the point in passing them in the first place?. Also, I think newly qualified drivers are more alert and more safety concious than most other drivers. Two things that I think should be changed are 1) Self thought drivers should not be allowed to apply for driving test, I think only people who have received lessons from an accredited school should be allowed to try out. and 2) they should introduce manditory re-testing after every 10 years. it would be interesting to see how many ‘experts’ out there would fail.

They would want to put the L sign on the doors of leinster house , they are doing a lot of u turns on the motorway of election promises .

I’d be interested in seeing a ‘driver application’ test, — a cop-on test for trainee drivers. If they passed it there wouldn’t be a need for any plates.
For example,

-people driving with fog lights on and no idea what they are for or how to tirn them off.

-drivers sitting in a queue and apparently getting a surprise when the light goes green and the car ahead of them moves !!

-drivers sitting in an overtaking lane because they have no idea what its for.

-drivers not leaving a gap to let someone out of a sideturn unless theres a yellow box present.

- drivers who insist on keeping you in the hard shoulder as you try to join a motorway, by matching your increasing /decreasing speed.

-drivers parking/stopping contraflow at night and leaving their dipped heads on.

Its just cop-on people….

I passed my test in the north and had R plates for a year after, it’s the norm and nobody complains about it. Statistics also show it promotes road safety, but then again statistics can show whatever you want them to I suppose. Personally I can’t see what the problem is with having them, however I do think 2 years is a bit harsh, a year would be a fairer length of time. People seem to think that just because they have passed the test they are suddenly expert drivers, sorry but that’s most definitely not the case. Like many other posts here, I too would love to see a crackdown on learner drivers who take to the road without a qualified driver beside them. What’s the point in having these laws if they are not properly enforced? Sick of people making the same tired excuses, it’s simple really, if you want to drive you should abide by the laws governing this, if not then stay off the roads.

The government really must have nothing better to do than to come up with rubbish like this. Do you really think that it would make a difference to someones quality of driving,

I think it’s an outrageous idea.
1) Learner drivers are now required to go through a thorough and very expensive learning process to get their full license and now the government wants to stigmatise them for two years? Does anyone seriously think that if a driver with an R plate is involved in an accident, it would be the other driver who would ever be seen at fault?
2) The RSA already refuses to distinguish between experienced drivers with foreign licenses who need to apply for an Irish license and actual learner drivers. Why should someone with 10 or 20 years experience driving in another jurisdiction be subjected to such humiliation? They’re not learner or even recently licensed drivers. They’ve only had the misfortune not to come from a jurisdiction whose license Ireland recognises. I have no problem with having to go through the testing process. ANYONE who holds a foreign license and wants an Irish one, even a member of an EU state, SHOULD be required to take the theory and driving test. They should NOT be required to go through the provisional process or be forced to post an R plate after they’ve successfully passed the testing process. When the government will acknowledge this THEN I’ll think about agreeing with an R plate system.

No way!its another money generating idea for the govt thru fines and for insurance companies! Wont make a damn bit of difference to quality of driving an will subject younger drivers to discrimination. In reality we haven’t got the money to police it either. Time for the govt to stop adding and adding to our cost of living

Yawn. Another ridiculous exercise. When they start enforcing some of the existing laws, or introducing proper anti-corruption legislation I will pay attention.

The more corrupt the state, the more numerous the laws. Tacitus.

I did my test in Belfast after Uni. The Restricted plates makes perfect sense when you’ve been through the process.
You are restricted to 45mph and it makes you much more weary of others. It builds up the confidence for driving alone.
Not that confidence of driving alone bothers most here, the majority of L drivers ignore the law that requires a qualified driver to accompany them.

The new full licensed drivers are probably the safest drivers on our roads having completed at least twelve driving lessons. It would be more in their line to fully implement the learner driver rules before trying to come after drivers who have already sat their lessons and passed their tests.

Thank god I drive in the USA. A lot less rules and regulations and no worse drivers then at home. People drive on the defense and not on the offense. If you are a pedestrian and begin to walk across a road cars will stop for you to cross. If the police, fire or ambulance are going by with their lights and sirens on people in their card pull over and stop and let them go. The speed limit in my town on most roads other then the interstate is now 25 mph. Drivers in Ireland drive way too fast and arn’t getting anywhere quicker for it.

I would also like to add that if the government wants to generate income through the testing process, they should start handling the theory portion themselves or find an Irish company which can do it, instead of outsourcing it to a professional testing company from the USA! The company running the theory testing is in it to make money, and that’s fine for them, but Irish learner drivers shouldn’t have to pay such outrageous fees to take the theory test. The first time I took the test, I was told I didn’t pass because I DIDN’T USE THE PROPER MANUAL! I only used the Rules of the Road to study for my theory test. How the heck are the Rules or the Road NOT sufficiently informative to allow you to pass the theory test?

Another cost saving measure, Mr. Varadkar – would you ever print the Rules of the Road on NORMAL paper? That book could be used to successfully sink a body in a pond, the paper is so thick. I mean, seriously, TEXTBOOKS are published on less long-lasting paper, and they’re supposed to be used 5 days a week for most of a year or even two! I’ve had paperbacks printed on cheap paper that lasted for years and several reads before they gave out, so why in heaven’s name should you waste so much money on a high-quality paper and a high-quality printing process for a book that few people will ever look at once they’re fully licensed?

How about D plates for politicians.

Should also teach drivers how to put the plates on correctly. Lost count of the amount of backward L’s I’ve seen. If a driver can’t even get that right, what hope do they have.

Should be an automatic driving ban for life if plates are stuck on backwards!!

Same system should be applied to inexperienced politicians being let loose with too much power.

Thats ridiculous! If you have a full licence you are capable of driving! My bf has a provisional since 06 and is unemployed so cant afford the test! Hes a better driver than me and i have my full licence since 08! I think they should be put on the car if a provisional licence driver is actually a learner for there own sake but once your driving is ok theres no need! An R plate is just a waste of time!

I think it’s a good idea. I would like to think that if more experienced drivers saw a R plate in front of them they’d be more patient if, for example, the car stalls when taking off at a green light.

How about a T for troll or maybe a W for w@^%£r

Oh no you didn’t! :)

And a unique sign for Leo which should be stuck on his back.
With the letters IPAW ( incompetent politician at work )

R plates, L plates, dinner plates or any other safety measure under the sun are good for learner drivers. Driving with a person with full license is good. Only during daylight hours, alcohol free, not allowed to carry passengers etc are good too. We could bring in a law saying that L drivers have to drive with a daffodil stuck up their arses even, but in reality a law is only effective if it is policed. Otherwise we can bring in all the laws under the sun for them and nothing will change. Personally my laws would be that they can only drive if there is an X in the month and only every other day at that, those days being the days that I’m not on the road and they should have a hosepipe ban thrown in for good measure to stop them siphoning petrol. That would learn them about driving.

Drivers on Irish roads DO NOT know how to drive. Drive up and down the M50 or any arterial roads in and out of Dublin any day of the week and you’ll see how bad it is. Anything to improve driving standards is a good thing!

Money making Govt Nonsense.
Drivers do not learn to merge onto a motorway anyway or are driving for era’s on a L plate

So this is just another govt scam to make money

I am in favour of Non National driver plates on cars though Leo.
In this suburb in Fingal it is a safe bet who merges at 60kmh onto a motorway before the sliproad ends.
A warning sticker would make other drivers stay well clear

Another expense that keeps new drivers from getting on the road unfortunately.

You need an ” I” for idiot sign for your Tricycle buddie

Send in a correction earlier that hasn’t been picked up.

‘Licence’ in para 4 and 5 in the story is not spelled correctly

Yes granny he has a p licence He should not be on the road end of story!!!

women who cant reverse or have more than two scrapes a years should be banned altogether