Over 12,000 Learner Drivers In Wicklow Reflects A National Crisis According To Road Haulage Association

IRHA have criticised the RSA's 'mismanagement', noting that there are 394,128 total learner permits nationally, an increase of 12,257 in six months.

New figures released from the Irish Road Safety Authority (RSA) reveal that there are 394,128 learner permit holders now on our roads in Ireland at the end of September 2025. 12,179 of them are in Wicklow.

That is an increase of 12,257 learner drivers nationally on our roads since March of this year, just six months ago.

The extraordinary number of learner drivers on Irish roads comes at a time when road deaths are spiralling.

As of November 20th, 2025, Garda figures show that 158 people had lost their lives on Irish roads, 9 more deaths than on the same day in 2024

Most learner permit holders in Wicklow are aged between 17-20 (3,049 drivers) and 30 and 39 (2,686).

17 learner permit holders in Wicklow are over the age of 80 while 97 learner permit holders are between 70 and 79 years old in Wicklow according to figures provided by the RSA. 

Hyland pointed to Garda figures which show that 2,754 fixed charge notices were issued nationally by Gardaí in the first three months of 2025 alone to learner drivers caught driving without a fully licensed driver. That is an increase of 9.5% on the same period in 2024.

The figures show that the largest cohort of learner drivers (96,130) are between the ages of 30- 39 indicating that drivers are leaving it late to undertake their driving test. 90,688 learner drivers were between 17-20. Remarkably, 410 learner drivers nationally were over 80 years of age.