Minister for Transport Martin Cullen is to consider banning under 18s from driving larger motorcycles, under new road traffic legislation.
Mr Cullen has asked the Road Safety Authority (RSA) to look at increasing the minimum age for operating a 125cc (full-size) motorcycle from 16 to 18, in an attempt to cut down on motorcycle fatalities. Motorcyclists make up 2 per cent of drivers, but account for 12 per cent of road fatalities.
"I do take the view that the current age is a bit young," Mr Cullen said.
The Minister was speaking at the launch of proposed regulations for the driving-instruction industry. Up to now, anyone could be a driving instructor - even if they had a criminal conviction.
Under the proposals, which have been released for public consultation, driving instructors will have to pass new State-sanctioned tests from next year or be banned from giving lessons.
A national register of instructors is to be established and provisional licence-holders, including motorcyclists, will be required to take lessons with a registered instructor before they can sit a driving test.
From July next year, all new instructors will be required to pass the instructor's test before entering the industry. Those already working as instructors will have an additional year to meet the register's standards.
All applications to the register must also meet eligibility criteria set down by the department and the RSA. No one with a criminal conviction for a "serious offence" will be eligible, and sex offenders will automatically be banned from giving lessons.
Instructors will be retested every few years and will be required to take part in ongoing skills-development programmes.
Once the register is in place, Mr Cullen intends to make it compulsory for provisional licence-holders to take lessons with a registered instructor. He intends to start the process by introducing compulsory basic training for motorcyclists.
Motorcycle instructors who meet with the eligibility criteria for the register will also be able to apply to be certified as approved basic trainers for motorcyclists.
The RSA has been allocated 309 new staff whose sole function will be the roll-out of the new instructors' testing and training programme. The new unit will also be charged with carrying out unannounced "spot" checks on instructors, including sitting in on driving lessons.
Driving instructors and schools will be obliged to keep a "training log" for each learner driver. The log will include a student's pass and fail rates.
A formal appeals process will be put in place for instructors who fail the instructor test or who are not considered fit to be entered on the register. Instructors can also appeal to the District Court.
The proposed regulations framework has been released for public consultation until next September. Members of the public as well as the industry are encouraged to make submissions.
