Madam, – The heartbreaking news of the deaths of four teenagers on the roads of Co Kerry this week serves to reinforce the argument for compulsory driver training in our secondary schools.
The number of teenagers involved in fatal and serious car accidents, especially in the early hours, is an indictment of the lack of understanding by young people of the dangers of speeding, careless driving and their own mortality. The Department of Education should allow for Leaving Certificate points credit for those students who take and pass driver safety courses in their final year in second-level education. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a n-anamacha. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – Recent road tragedies in Co Kerry and Co Donegal highlight the propensity to danger of young and inexperienced drivers, but we must be careful to not react with knee-jerk legislation as most newly qualified drivers can and do behave responsibly. It would be unreasonable and unfair if new rules hindered this majority so we need to be practical and apply common sense.
When I went to Western Australia in 1973, all newly qualified drivers were put on probation for two years when they passed their test. For the first six months they also had to display a P-plate instead of the L-plate which indicated that were allowed only to drive at a maximum speed of 40mph and not on freeways (motorways). After the first six months they were allowed to drive normally, but remained on probation for the remaining 18 months.
During the two-year period the automatic penalty for speeding, failing to display the P-plate and all other infringements (except minor ones) was loss of licence and to start again by reapplying for the test. This would involve a prolonged period if the penalty included a period of disqualification for more serious offences.
While parents have primary responsibility for the whereabouts and late-night/early morning activities of their younger teenagers, a probationary period could also include a curfew on probationary drivers to prevent them from carrying under 18-year old non-family passengers between the hours of say 11pm and 7am. – Yours, etc,