Thousands of people found to be driving without full licence

It has been discovered that up to 30,000 people on their third or subsequent learner permit have never sat a driving test.

In some cases, drivers have been on the roads for almost 30 years without ever completing their driving test or having a full licence.

These figures were unveiled after The Irish Times contacted the Road Safety Authority with queries about learner permit holders. The data dates back to 1994 up until the present day.

Learner permit holders on their first or second learner permit were excluded from the analysis because during this time, they are usually taking lessons and getting driving experience. 

In order to secure a third or subsequent learner permit, a driver must be able to provide evidence of applying for a test, but there is no legal requirement for a learner driver to actually sit their driving test before renewing their learner permit.

According to figures from the RSA, 28,570 drivers were found to be driving on a third or subsequent learner permit first issued between 2018 and 2009.

The RSA have said they believe a significant number of drivers who acquired their first learner permit before 2008 and who still don’t have a full licence may not have ever sat a test.

It is believed that learner drivers who ‘roll’ their permits each year contribute to the relatively high number of drivers who fail to show up for their driving test on the day. This is what leads to the high demand for driving tests as these test slots go unused.

At the start of this year, around 420 drivers a month failed to show up for their driving tests, which is about 3% of the total tests.