Laois Councillor says teens can drive seven tonne tractors without lessons but not cars

How can a 16 year old legally drive a 25 tonne piece of machinery but a provisional licence holder can’t drive to college?  a Councillor has asked. 

Independent Cllr Aisling Moran said due to delays in getting a test for a driver's licence there are 18 year olds with one litre cars who can’t legally drive alone. She said college students are waiting six to nine months for a test. 

Meanwhile, a 16 year old can get a licence and drive a seven tonne tractor and pull a twenty tonne load along a narrow country road without any lessons or test, she claimed. 

“How is it possible to allow a 16 year responsible for 25 tonnes of machinery when a 20 year old who has done 12 lessons and has held a provisional licence for a number of years is not allowed to drive a car?” she asked. 

“I think something needs to be done on this,” she said. 

She asked that people waiting for a test after doing 12 lesson should be allowed to drive legally while they wait. She also called for more driving testers to be hired.

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Cllr Moran, who was speaking during a monthly meeting of Laois County Council, asked that a note of her comments be attached to a letter which the council agreed to send to the Minister for Transport in relation to NCT delays and procedures.