A GRADUATED licensing system for learner drivers is to be examined in the hope of reducing insurance premiums, the House was told.
The Minister of State for Commerce and Technology, Mr Pat Rabbitte, said a report by consultants Deloitte and Touche had concluded that encouraging safer driving standards in young drivers and increasing driving skills were the keys to reducing their high accident rate and obtaining lower premiums.
A young person with a provisional licence and little driving experience could expect to pay a premium of around £1,550, the House was told.
The consultants' report recommended the introduction of a graduated licensing system for learner drivers similar to a model in force in Ontario, Canada.
The Minister for the Environment would be examining the Ontario model in the context of current law and practice in Ireland.
The Department of the Environment had also co-operated with the AA in the launch of a drink-driving video aimed at young drivers. An insurance incentive scheme had been established in which discounts would be offered to young drivers who had completed an agreed number of driving lessons over a calendar year.
The National Safety Council was also working to produce course material on road safety to fit in with the new primary school curriculum and had recently adopted a five-year road safety programme.
The consultancy report found that the average cost of an insurance claim for a 17 to 24-year-old driver was over twice that for a 36 to 40-year-old and that motorists in the younger category were responsible for over 3.5 times the claims costs of motorists in the 36 to 40-year-old age group.
The National Roads Authority found that almost 38 per cent of motorists involved in fatal and personal injury accidents in 1995 were young and that 41 per cent of road casualty victims were aged between 18 and 34.
Mr Rabbitte was responding to questions from Fianna Fail deputies who called for action to reduce insurance premiums for under 30-year-olds.
Mr Ivor Callely (FF, Dublin North Central) said he had asked two companies yesterday about premiums for an under 25 year old and was quoted £2,500.
