Unaccompanied learner drivers may have their cars seized by Gardai under new legislation being considered by Transport Minister Shane Ross.
The Irish Independent is reporting this morning that the Minister is considering a change in the law after road safety groups expressed concern over the number of serious collisions involving learner drivers.
Road safety campaign group PARC insisted the legislation was "a no-brainer".
"When a garda stops a learner driver and charges him or her for driving unaccompanied, it makes no sense whatsoever that the garda must then allow that driver to continue their journey driving unaccompanied," a PARC spokesperson said.
The Minister said in a Dail reply “Currently, gardaí have the power to detain vehicles in a number of circumstances such as where the vehicle is untaxed, uninsured or does not have an NCT," he said.
"An extension of this power to cover vehicles being driven by unaccompanied learners would require an amendment to Section 41 of the Road Traffic Act, 1994. I would like to advise that this is something that I am willing to consider in the context of future road traffic legislation."
