Galway Bay fm newsroom - Over 12 thousand motorists in Galway are driving with learner permits.
Nearly 1,400 people nationwide have been driving with only a learner permit for over 26 years.
According to freedom of information figures, they include people in every county.
According to the Department of Transport, nearly 232,000 drivers only have learner permits.
They include nearly 68,000 people in Dublin, almost 25,000 in Cork, over 12,000 in Galway, and just under that mark in Kildare.
Under current rules, you can’t apply for a third or subsequent learner permit unless you’ve recently done a driving test or have an upcoming test.
But new figures show over 21,000 drivers have had a learner permit for at least 11 years, and 1,365 have had one for over 26 years.
Brian Farrell, from the Road Safety Authority, says the new figures are concerning.
You must always have a fully qualified driver with you if you have a learner permit.
But 2,475 drivers got penalty points last year for breaking that law - up 27 per cent on 2019.
A further 1,581 drivers were penalised in the first five months of this year for the same offence.
