Wexford Faces Learner Driver Crisis as Numbers Surge

Wexford is facing a growing crisis on the roads, with over 12,456 learner drivers now on the counties roads. That's according to new figures from the Irish Road Safety Authority (RSA). This alarming rise in the number of inexperienced drivers is part of a broader national trend, with 394,128 learner permit holders across Ireland as of September 2025—an increase of more than 12,000 permits issued in just six months. The surge in learner drivers is raising concerns about road safety, particularly as the number of road fatalities continues to climb. As of November 2025, there have been 158 fatalities on Irish roads, an increase of 9 compared to the same time last year. Ger Hyland, President of the Irish Road Haulage Association (IRHA), has expressed serious concerns about the situation. "To have nearly 400,000 learner drivers on our roads is a testament to the failure of the RSA and their mismanagement of the driver testing system. It’s a crisis," he said, adding that the situation is only getting worse despite efforts to clear the testing backlog. In Wexford, the majority of learner permit holders are aged between 17-20 years old ( 3,239 drivers ), with a significant number also falling in the 30-39 age group ( 2,634 drivers ). While most learners are young adults, there is also a notable number of older drivers, with 18 learners over 80 and 88 drivers aged 70-79 holding learner permits in the county. Hyland has called for immediate action to address this crisis, emphasizing that the surge in learner drivers is not only dangerous but also a direct result of mismanagement within the RSA. "Millions of taxpayer euros are being spent to clear a backlog, but the situation is not improving," he said. He also pointed to figures from An Garda Síochána, which show an increase in the number of fixed charge notices issued to learner drivers caught driving without a fully licensed companion. In the first three months of 2025 alone, Gardaí issued 2,754 such notices, marking a 9.5% increase from the same period in 2024. The Irish Road Haulage Association is calling for greater transparency and accountability from the RSA. Hyland urged the media to press the RSA on the real reasons behind the massive increase in learner drivers and the ongoing testing delays. “How can we trust the RSA’s data when the numbers just don’t add up?” he said, stressing the urgent need for reform in the driver testing system.