The majority of Learner Drivers Flout the Law or know someone who has by Driving Unaccompanied, according to new Aviva research
The long wait time for driving tests and poor public transport links top the list of reasons
25 February 2025, Dublin: Almost two-third (64%) of motorists have either driven unaccompanied on a learner permit or know of people who do, despite it being an offence. A new nationwide survey* of 1,000 adults, 858 of whom were drivers, commissioned by Aviva Insurance Ireland DAC (Aviva) sought to understand the extent to which learner drivers in Ireland flouted the law and the reasons behind what appears to be a widespread issue.
The survey findings reveal that, while 28% of motorists surveyed admitted to having driven unaccompanied on a learner permit, a further 36% know of someone who does. Only 36% of drivers who responded to the survey have never done this or do not know anyone who has.
The Aviva survey found that:
- The survey responses highlight that both men (28%) and women (26%) are almost equally culpable when it comes to flouting the law and driving on a learner permit unaccompanied.
- The highest percentage of learner drivers who drive unaccompanied are those aged 25-34 at 41%.
- Men were more likely to have never driven unaccompanied on a learner permit or know of anyone who does at 47% v’s women at 31%.
The long wait time for driving tests (58%) and poor public transport links (56%), particularly in rural areas leaving no option other than to drive, are the primary reasons why learner drivers break the law. Other reasons included a lack of garda presence on the roads leading them to believe they won’t get caught (38%) or a once-off occurrence where the learner driver is genuinely stuck at 33%. However, 31% of drivers responding to the survey based their decision on a disregard for or failure to recognise the importance of the rules of the road.
It is against the law to drive unaccompanied on a learner permit in Ireland. Motorists with learner permits must be accompanied by a driver with a full driving licence for at least two years. Drivers who are in breach of this rule can be fined €160, in addition to receiving two penalty points. The car may also be seized by a member of the gardai. A further consequence is that the learner drivers are not covered by insurance in the event of an accident.
Commenting Mike Kavanagh, Manager, Aviva Driving School
“While it may cause some inconvenience at times for the learner driver, the rule is in place for a very good reason which is to protect the safety of the learner driver, and other road users. The Road Safety Authority (RSA), the body responsible for the driving test publishes extensive data on the pass ratios** for the driving test throughout the country. The average pass rate in this country is 53.2%, highlighting the fact that almost half of those who have undertaken their driving test fail it. This indicates that the drivers who failed their test have yet to reach the required standard in terms of their driving ability. It is for this reason that they should have an accompanying driver with them until such time as they do pass their test and get their full drivers’ licence.
“Those found to be flouting the law by driving unaccompanied on a learner permit are not only risking their own lives but also endangering other road users. Given the high percentage of learner drivers who take the chance of not being caught, we believe more stringent measures are necessary. We urge the Minister for Transport to review the existing penalties and consider introducing larger fines to enhance road safety.”
The survey found that:
- Women (41%) were more likely to have a once-off occurrence of driving unaccompanied when they were genuinely stuck than men at 26%.
- Men (40%) were more likely to believe that they won’t be caught due to a lack of garda presence on the roads than women at 33%.
“The reality is that motorists driving on a learner permit who have yet to pass their driving tests may not have the experience, confidence, or ability to manage certain situations that can occur when out on the road. The incident could be weather related, or down to the condition of a particular road, driving too fast, or even the behaviour of another driver. Whatever the situation, it may be one that the learner driver is unable to react to due to their lack of experience,” concluded Mike Kavanagh.
*The research was carried out by iReach Insights on behalf of Aviva
** https://www.rsa.ie/road-safety/statistics/driving-test