Can You Drive Alone On A Provisional In Ireland?

bananabread12

I know a lot of people do it but what exactly is the law?

My uncle believes you can drive alone on a Provisional License/Learner Permit in Ireland but ONLY if it's not your first one i.e - you can drive alone if it's your second Provisional ect. I told him he was wrong?

What exactly is the deal here? Seems very confusing...

me_irl

Nope.

jamesbere

No (wink wink)

tea and coffee

bananabread12 wrote: »

I know a lot of people do it but what exactly is the law?

My uncle believes you can drive alone on a Provisional License/Learner Permit in Ireland but ONLY if it's not your first one i.e - you can drive alone if it's your second Provisional ect. I told him he was wrong?

What exactly is the deal here? Seems very confusing...

That used to be the case. Accompanied on first. Unaccompanied on second. Accompanied on 3rd. Afair anyway

bananabread12

me_irl wrote: »

Nope.

It says here at http://www.schoolofmotoring.ie/parkschoolofmotoring/main/Provisional_Licence.htm


>>> Car drivers ( category B ) with a provisional licence must be accompanied at all times by, and under the supervision of, a person with a current full driving licence to drive a car. ( The only exception to this , is where the driver holds a second provisonal driving licence to drive a car). The obligation to be accompanied by a qualified driver is set down in SI 352/99 Road Traffic (Licensing of Drivers) Regulations 1999 . <<<

Not sure what to think....

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

bananabread12 wrote: »

I know a lot of people do it but what exactly is the law?

My uncle believes you can drive alone on a Provisional License/Learner Permit in Ireland but ONLY if it's not your first one i.e - you can drive alone if it's your second Provisional ect. I told him he was wrong?

What exactly is the deal here? Seems very confusing...

No, it used to be like your uncle thinks but that is all changed.

bazz26

No you cannot from below but people take a chance and do:

http://www.rsa.ie/en/RSA/Learner-Drivers/Safe-Driving1/Safety-for-Permit-Holders/

me_irl

Page 16 of this document...

https://www.ndls.ie/images/Documents/DrivingLicence/driver-licensing-in-ireland-a-guide.pdf

If you are a learner in the car, truck or bus category, you must be accompanied by a qualified
driver (or sponsor) at all times while driving. A qualified driver or sponsor is an experienced
driver who has had a full licence for a continuous period of at least two years in the category
of vehicle being driven by the learner permit holder.

Alun

bananabread12 wrote: »

It says here at http://www.schoolofmotoring.ie/parkschoolofmotoring/main/Provisional_Licence.htm


>>> Car drivers ( category B ) with a provisional licence must be accompanied at all times by, and under the supervision of, a person with a current full driving licence to drive a car. ( The only exception to this , is where the driver holds a second provisonal driving licence to drive a car). The obligation to be accompanied by a qualified driver is set down in SI 352/99 Road Traffic (Licensing of Drivers) Regulations 1999 . <<<

Not sure what to think....

Completely out of date information, pretty poor from a driving school website really. Even provisional licences don't exist any more

mzungu

No.

alberto67

Yes, but don't get caught.

Sofiztikated

Alun wrote: »

Completely out of date information, pretty poor from a driving school website really. Even provisional licences don't exist any more

One of the larger driving schools around here ACTIVELY teaches new drivers to switch on their fogs, no matter what the weather.

It's not as though they're checked to see that standards are upheld.

freshpopcorn

To give you the none politically correct boards answer. Your not meant to but it depends on the Garda you met and how you act on the road. If you act the maggot on the road and are rude to the Gardai. You'll end up in a bit of bother.

Burial.

Only on country roads. Even if you come across a guard you more than likely went to school with their young fella or you're his favourite player on the club GAA team.

FizzleSticks

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punisher5112

FizzleSticks wrote: »

What happens to learner drivers now when they're caught?

I know for years people just got a warning but haven't they cracked down on that in recent years?

Big fine and points also car will be taken......



They then point and laugh....

freshpopcorn

FizzleSticks wrote: »

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punisher5112 wrote: »

Big fine and points also car will be taken......



They then point and laugh....

It's two points and €80.

JustWantNetPlz

freshpopcorn wrote: »

It's two points and €80.

Really? Is that all?

Alanhooly

Outside Dublin you can

The answer is no but I don't know one person that hasn't drove on their own and I also don't know one person who had ever been punished for this.

Not saying I advocate it but that's just the it is (in the country anyway)

freshpopcorn

JustWantNetPlz wrote: »

Really? Is that all?

In the past there used be a court appearance involved but they changed it a few years ago to the best of my knowledge. It's on the website I linked below. The RSA website won't load for me. If you don't display L play it's also 2 points and a €60 fine.


http://www.drivingschoolireland.com/penalty_points.html

uck51js9zml2yt

JustWantNetPlz wrote: »

Really? Is that all?

Then they have to tell their insurance why they have points:)

JustWantNetPlz

Edison Thundering Tap-dancer wrote: »

Then they have to tell their insurance why they have points:)

That's if they tell them :pac:

paleoperson

I was a little late when I started driving and I never ever put an L or a N up, except literally when I was outside the test centres and I took them off when I was coming home again lol. But I don't recommend that, I'm a super cautious driver and don't drive a lot.

freshpopcorn

paleoperson wrote: »

I was a little late when I started driving and I never ever put an L or a N up, except literally when I was outside the test centres and I took them off when I was coming home again lol.

Lots of people do this. Some even put the 'L' up with sellotape so it doesn't mark their window!

JustWantNetPlz

paleoperson wrote: »

I was a little late when I started driving and I never ever put an L or a N up, except literally when I was outside the test centres and I took them off when I was coming home again lol. But I don't recommend that, I'm a super cautious driver and don't drive a lot.

How long were ya driving around like that for though?

paleoperson

JustWantNetPlz wrote: »

How long were ya driving around like that for though?

Like 5 years.

freshpopcorn

JustWantNetPlz wrote: »

How long were ya driving around like that for though?

Can I ask a question OP? Where are you from?
Lots of people would have issues driving unaccompanied in Dublin and sometimes a strict Garda from the traffic corps might give the town a visit apart from that people can be fine. Have you any local knowledge of the area?

JustWantNetPlz

freshpopcorn wrote: »

Can I ask a question OP? Where are you from?
Lots of people would have issues driving unaccompanied in Dublin and sometimes a strict Garda from the traffic corps might give the town a visit apart from that people can be fine. Have you any local knowledge of the area?

Oh I'm not OP at all, I'm a countryman from Limerick, just nosy and interested was all :pac:

MadDog76

I don't know any Learner Drivers who drive accompanied in Dublin or who have ever had any problems ......... most don't ever even put up L-Plates .......... checkpoints involve saying "I don't have my license on me" with the Guard giving the driver 10 days to produce at a Garda station of choice .......... wait a week or so and produce your license (Learner or not) and that's that!

AidanadiA

If you drive on a provisional licence without a sponsor/full licence holder your insurance policy is null and void, also if you don't have your L/N plates on display.

I passed my driving test last year, during the time I had my provisional licence I never drove with out my sponsor and the car always had L plates on.

Pure tashte

AidanadiA wrote: »

If you drive on a provisional licence without a sponsor/full licence holder your insurance policy is null and void, also if you don't have your L/N plates on display.

I passed my driving test last year, during the time I had my provisional licence I never drove with out my sponsor and the car always had L plates on.

I thought I had heard that insurance was still valid, despite it being against the law, if L/N plates aren't displayed? Or maybe it's just N plates?

Dravokivich

can't remember the date, but I believe there is a cut-off, whereby if you've received your first provisional prior to it, you do not require someone to be with you. But anyone receiving a Learners Permit since must be accompanied.

Permabear

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bill66

Figures from the RSA show that over 6000 learner drivers were issued with penalty points in the 3 years up to November 2016, for driving unaccompanied.

So no you can't and yes there is a possible penalty if you do.

FishOnABike

Permabear wrote: »

This post had been deleted.

What's even more amazing is that this (almost ten years out of date information) is still on a driving school website - see post #4 in the thread by bananabread12. No wonder people can be confused.

murpho999

Really is an outdated system that should be scrapped.

Only fully qualified drivers should be allowed drive.

Would you got into a plane if the pilot only had a "learner licence"?

Also, there's too much of an attitude in Ireland that it's ok to do this.

Bambi985

No it's illegal and I certainly did no such thing for about 8 months in the lead up to my driving test...

Yamanoto

bill66 wrote: »

Figures from the RSA show that over 6000 learner drivers were issued with penalty points in the 3 years up to November 2016, for driving unaccompanied.

So no you can't and yes there is a possible penalty if you do.

I'd wager a lot of those drivers had done something silly to bring them to the attention of AGS & their provisional status was then subsequently discovered, as opposed to being hit with the full penalty after stopping at a checkpoint.

Permabear

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Wanderer78

Ah shur be grand!

murpho999

Permabear wrote: »

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Professional lessons and you can only drive once you have passed your test. That's how its done in other countries.

I drove years ago on a provisional and failed my test but crazily enough it was ok to drive home after being told you're not fit to be on the road!

Then moved to The Netherlands and system there is very strict.

Can only do test after you have completed so many lessons.

Instructors are all regulated, as is the syllabus and instructors are actually examined every year.

They also teach people how to drive on motorways properly. Look at Ireland how people drive on motoroways. Awful.

Driving on middle lane on the M50.
Joining motorway traffic moving at 120km per hour at 50-80kmh.
Thinking there is a slow and fast lane.

Riesen_Meal

I'm driving about 8 or 9 years now, I've only got my full licence about 3 years ago, it just before the N plate debacle, I never had any form of plates up, I had L plates for my first 3 days of driving and with the grief I got on the roads I took them down...

I live in Co Dublin and went in and out no bother, in that time I have been breathalysed, stopped at checkpoints and the like and never been asked for my licence once...

If I was to start driving now I would not do it, but I do understand why people do it and or need to do it...

BlazingSaddler

This is so different in the UK. People generally wouldn't dream about driving alone without passing their test over there. As has already been stated anybody who does it is effectively driving uninsured. This is incredibly careless and inconsiderate and I can't believe so many parents let their sons / daughters do it.

Guy Sajer

Not on paper but you can. I never had a passenger with me for the full 6 months of learning and passed number of gardai. And still see solo learners stopped up beside gardai at red lights with no action taken.

tea and coffee

JustWantNetPlz wrote: »

That's if they tell them :pac:

If you don't declare something to your insurance, the company may fail to pay out for a claim or cancel your insurance leading to far higher premiums.

Faith+1

MadDog76 wrote: »

I don't know any Learner Drivers who drive accompanied in Dublin or who have ever had any problems ......... most don't ever even put up L-Plates .......... checkpoints involve saying "I don't have my license on me" with the Guard giving the driver 10 days to produce at a Garda station of choice .......... wait a week or so and produce your license (Learner or not) and that's that!

Really is a banana republic :eek:

I never drove alone on a provisional. I think it's very irresponsible to do so. If you're that great a driver, go and pass your test

Pure tashte

BlazingSaddler wrote: »

This is so different in the UK. People generally wouldn't dream about driving alone without passing their test over there. As has already been stated anybody who does it is effectively driving uninsured. This is incredibly careless and inconsiderate and I can't believe so many parents let their sons / daughters do it.

Out of interest, what is the waiting time like in the UK? I would have thought the long waiting times in Ireland to be one of the major causes to learner drivers driving unaccompanied.

A friend of mine did his driving test in Australia, failed first time, did it again a few days later and passed. In Ireland he would have had to wait at least 3 months to repeat.

Permabear

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Riesen_Meal

Permabear wrote: »

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This is the reason most of our parents are shíte drivers...

Dravokivich

Fieldog wrote: »

This is the reason most of our parents are shíte drivers...

Don't blame someone else giving them an easy ticket. At the end of the day, they still did the driving themselves. Only they can be responsible for however crap they are at it. There's plenty of shít drivers that passed the test too.