IRISH Hauliers have accused the Road Safety Authority of “mismanagement of the driving test system”, as new Garda figures show a 95 per cent increase in the numbers of learner drivers caught driving unaccompanied in Donegal.
The Irish Road Haulage Association (IRHA) is calling for a root and branch review of the Road Safety Authority and their operation of the Irish driving test system.
The IRHA says that an inadequate testing system is forcing young learner drivers out on our roads without a full license.
The IRHA is concerned for the safety of their drivers who are coming across inexperienced drivers on a daily basis on Irish roads.
New figures provided by Gardaí show dramatic increases in the number of learner drivers caught driving unaccompanied.
In counties like Donegal, there was a 95 per cent year on year increase in the number of unaccompanied drivers caught by Gardaí between 2023 and 2024.
In the Sligo/Leitrim Garda division, the percentage increase was 83 per cent.
Meanwhile, there were 21,422 people driving on a provisional license in Donegal at the end of March, 2025.
According to the IRHA, young drivers, in particular in rural Ireland, need their car to get to work and significant delays in the driver testing system are forcing young learner drivers to make difficult choices.
IRHA President, Ger Hyland emphasised that his association is in no way condoning young learner drivers driving without a fully licensed driver.
He pointed to the fact that more unaccompanied learner drivers on our roads presents a clear and present danger to his member’s drivers.
Hyland attributed the current rises in the number of unaccompanied learner drivers on our roads as a direct result of the mismanagement of the driver test system by the RSA and has called for the Road Safety Authority to be reformed and restructured.
Related posts:
Receive quality journalism wherever you are, on any device. Keep up to date from the comfort of your own home with a digital subscription.
Any time | Any place | Anywhere
SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT EDITION TODAY
and get access to our archive editions dating back to 2007(CLICK ON THE TITLE BELOW TO SUBSCRIBE)