Louth has among the highest number of learner drivers in the country

Louth has among the highest number of drivers on learner permits in the country according to figures released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) last week.

Of the 86,800 current driving licences in Louth as of 31 December 2021, 8,600 or 9.9% were learner permits. Only Dublin (11.2%), Laois (10.3%) and Carlow (10.2%) had a higher percentage of learner permits.

Monaghan at 6.9% had the lowest percentage of learner permits in the country. Nationally, 9.3% of the 3,257,621 current driving licences as of 31 December 2021, were learner permits.

Last week's CSO release, Transport Omnibus 2021, contained further information relating to transport in Dundak and Louth last year. Along with details on how many cars failed the initial NCT test in Dundalk last year, it also gives details on penalty points, penalty point offences and the number of public service vehicles in the county.

Looking at penalty points, Louth followed the national trend, with a fall in the number of penalty points recorded in 2021. Penalty points are recorded on the offender’s driving licence and remain on the licence for a period of three years.

10,821 penalty points were recorded in Louth last year, a fall of 13% on 2020. Nationally, there was a 14% decrease in the number of penalty points recorded last year.

Looking at penalty points endorsement notices issued in 2021 however, there was an increase nationally in the number issued last year, for offences including: speeding; learner driver unaccompanied by a qualified driver; no insurance; careless driving; dangerous driving reduced to careless driving; and adult failing to wear safety belt category N2 vehicle.

Finally, the CSO figures show that 513 small public service vehicles were licenced in Louth in 2021. Of these, 57 were wheelchair accessible hackneys and one was a wheelchair accessible taxi.