A third of the fines were in Dublin.
Image via Pexels.comThere was a 30% increase in the number of fines paid for learner or novice driver offences last year.
According to freedom of information files, €1.1 million worth of penalties were settled in 2018 and 2019.
Learner drivers must be accompanied by a fully qualified driver at all times and stick to other rules. If they break them, they face penalty points and fines of up €120. Meanwhile, newly qualified drivers have to put N plates on their car for two years or get points and fines of up to €90.
In 2018, over 5,600 drivers paid Garda fines for learner or novice driver offences accumulating to €464,500 euro. This rose by nearly a third last year, with over 7,300 people settling fines worth nearly €607,000.
A third of the fines were in the Dublin area, and it's followed by Cork, Kildare, Limerick and Wexford.
Stricter laws were brought in in December 2018, which gave Gardaí the power to seize cars driven by unaccompanied drivers.
