The Transport Minister has been advised to bring in new legislation which would only allow learner drivers four consecutive learner permits if they do not pass their driving test.

The advice comes from civil servants and has yet to become proposed legislation.

On Newstalk Breakfast, the Sunday Independent motoring editor Geraldine Herbert said “we need to address the issue of long term learner permit holders”.

“It's estimated there’s about 30,000 people on learner permits for years without ever taking a test, so this obviously raises concerns,” she said.

Ms Herbert said it is the “system that's the issue”.

“As it stands, after two learner permits to get a third you either have to have booked, sat or failed a test, but the book is the issue,” she said.

“You just book one, renew your learner permit and then just cancel the test.”

“The system shouldn't be allowed to be gamed - those loopholes need to be closed.

“I mean, we can't have a system where you can just indefinitely renew your learner permit.”

A learner driver sticker on a car, 22-9-10. Image: macana / Alamy

Ms Herbert said the proposed new system would encourage actual test taking.

“The proposal suggests when you get to your third [learner permit] you will have to have sat a test,” she said,

“By the time you get to your fourth, if you haven't passed the test, they're suggesting at that stage that's a reasonable time frame… if you haven't passed the test, you go back to square one, you do the theory test, you do the lessons and you do the driving test, all over again.

“It's like you're new, brand new to the system.”

Teenager learner driver celebrating passing his driving test waving his L plates in the air. Image: Alamy

Ms Herbert said whether this reform actually happens is dependent on the Minister for Transport, but an issue she could see arising is the current strain on the system.

“I suppose the only issue with this is the current system is under strain at the moment,” she said.

“I mean, I had a look at the waiting times - the RSA reckons it should be 10 weeks but the best I could find randomly checking is 18 weeks, the worst was 25.

“What we're talking about here is years of being on a learner permit - within that time frame, a reasonable person can get the act together, find a test centre, wait it out and pass the test.”

The Driver Theory Test centre on Parnell Street, 21/8/2003

Ms Herbert said another problem is the lack of data on learner drivers.

“I think the problem is there's very little data on when learners are involved in a collision, as to what stage of the system are they in,” she said.

“Have they sat a test? Have they failed a test?

“What we do know is unaccompanied drivers are more dangerous on the roads, and therefore, if you're expecting people to be accompanied, then you can't have long term learners - it's as simple as that.”

Ms Herbert said unaccompanied learner drivers could have their car seized if they were to get caught and in most cases you wouldn’t be insured in accidents.

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Picture by: True Images / Alamy Stock Photo