David Labanyi - www.irishtimes.com

LEARNER PERMIT holders engaging in risky driving will face several new sanctions in court, including the imposition of a mandatory monitored “speed limiter” in their car as well as a strict curfew.

The penalties are being introduced for learner and inexperienced drivers caught speeding, not wearing a seatbelt, or overtaking dangerously, offences currently punished by penalty points. Judges will be able to impose restrictions on repeat offenders that would, in some cases, limit their use of a car to driving lessons.

The measures are part of a reform of driver training and licensing that will be outlined by the Road Safety Authority on Wednesday.

Another expected change is the introduction of compulsory lessons with an approved driving instructor before a young motorist becomes eligible to sit a driving test. The authority and the Garda are confident a combination of automatic number plate-reading technology and the introduction, by the end of the year, of a credit card-style driving licence with a chip holding driver information will mean the new sanctions can be successfully enforced.

A nationwide network of privatised speed cameras is also due to start operating this autumn.

Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey has approved the authority's plans, a number of which will require primary legislation.

The reforms are a response to the continuing disproportionately high rates of death and serious injury among young drivers and the failure of penalty points or motoring fines to reduce this significantly.

Fines are seen as a particularly ineffective sanction for these motorists because, in many cases, they are paid by the driver's parents, according to the authority. Its chief executive Noel Brett declined yesterday to comment on the specific reforms but said it would impose a tougher regime for reckless young drivers.

“The measures are proportionate and fair. They won't penalise learner and novice drivers who are compliant but they are really harsh for drivers who are irresponsible, foolhardy and not compliant with the law,” he said.

Mr Brett also called for parents to become more involved in the process of their children learning to drive. “Parents need to be supervising where their children are driving, with whom and when. The day of giving a car as a rite of passage has got to end.”

Last week four teenagers died in a car crash in Co Kerry. In July eight men were killed in a collision in Co Donegal, seven of whom were in the 17-24-year-old age group.