New laws to target car owners in unaccompanied learner driver cases

New laws could see car owners who allow unaccompanied learner drivers to use their vehicle face severe fines or even jail time.

The Minister for Transport, Shane Ross, brought the proposed rule changes before the Cabinet earlier this week and, although the exact penalties must be approved by the Attorney General, it is expected that car owners could be hit with fines of up to €2000 and six months in prison.

As it stands, the punishment for unaccompanied learner drivers is two penalty points and a fixed fine but it’s hoped that these additional measures, which target the owner of the car specifically, will significantly reduce the number of inexperienced motorists who drive alone.

The proposed changes are being called the ‘Clancy amendment’ and are seen by many as a direct result of a campaign by Cork farmer Noel Clancy who lost his wife and daughter in a road traffic accident in 2015.

The driver of the other car involved in the incident was an unaccompanied learner driver.

Irrespective of whether or not the new measures come into effect, the team at GMIB.ie would urge all learner drivers to adhere to the rules of the road and never drive without a full license-holder present.