Proposal to limit use of 125cc bikes to over-18s

Navan Junction

Olivia Kelly, Irish Times, 20/06/2006

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.

© The Irish Times

Hotblack Desiato

How could anyone with two brain cells to rub together describe a 125cc motorcycle as "full sized" ??

Cullen may think it "a bit young" but the Irish public still thinks his voting machines are "a bit unreliable"

Feck-all under-18s can afford to get insured on anything, never mind anything over 50cc, so the point is moot anyway.

Typical of this man who has no clue whatsoever.

Drax

ninja900 wrote:

How could anyone with two brain cells to rub together describe a 125cc motorcycle as "full sized" ??

You can do as much damage to yourself on a 125cc as you can on 1000cc. Younger bikers are high risk as they are still on a learning curve (well its always a learning curve) and will probably have to have at least one spill before they realise they are not indestructible. I am speaking from experience.

Saying that, I think training is the key as opposed to an increase the age limit. I hear this is on the cards. The bike driving test is a joke - drive 3 times round a housing estate clockwise followed by 3 loops anti-clockwise, with a u-turn thrown in to liven it up a little.

murphaph

Drax wrote:

Saying that, I think training is the key as opposed to an increase the age limit. I hear this is on the cards. The bike driving test is a joke - drive 3 times round a housing estate clockwise followed by 3 loops anti-clockwise, with a u-turn thrown in to liven it up a little.

The test is still a bit of a joke but it isn't like that anymore. You now get a radio earpiece and the tester follows driving behind, giving you the same instructions as if you were taking the car test. I know-I did it 2 weeks ago

Drax

Good man murphaph. I hope you passed it!
Well its nice to see that they have improved it somewhat but its still the same kind of basic testing. When I did it on the 3rd loop of the reverse trip I pulled over and the tester drove up beside me, winds down his window and says "Did I tell you to pull over"... even though previously he had told me 3 loops one way, 3 loops the other. I thought for sure I had failed. But I didnt luckily!

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I think it should be compulsory that you are able to a 400m stand-up wheelie before acquiring your license....

murphaph

Drax wrote:

Good man murphaph. I hope you passed it!

Yup, with a clean sheet to boot

Hotblack Desiato

Drax wrote:

You can do as much damage to yourself on a 125cc as you can on 1000cc.

Or on a 50cc. Fiddling with age limits will achieve nothing.