Mum gets son’s Audi back after 174kph in Laois
The Audi A4 was seized from an unaccompanied learner (17) caught doing 174kph. Photo: An Garda Síochána Laois Offaly
THE mother of a 17-year-old unaccompanied learner driver, who was caught driving an Audi A4 2-litre car at 174kph in a 120kph zone, made an application at Portlaoise District Court for the return of her son’s car.
She told Judge Andrew Cody that the car was seized by gardaí and impounded after he was stopped for speeding last month.
She said her son, who was a minor at the time of the incident and as such cannot be identified, lives in Kerry and works in Armagh and needs transport for his employment.
She said that, if the court approved the return of the car, it would be sold and her son would purchase a smaller car or a van.
She told the judge that her son told her that he didn’t realise that he was travelling at such a speed, to which Judge Cody said: “I can guarantee you, if I was travelling at 174kph, I’d know all about it.”
Judge Cody asked the woman: “Did you know that he was travelling on his own and unaccompanied by a qualified driver from Kerry to Armagh? Did you know that he was a learner driver or did you know and said to him ‘fair enough, off you go’?”
The young man took the stand. He was asked by Judge Cody what he had to say about the application to have his car returned.
He replied: “I apologise for the speed I was doing.”
Judge Cody said that he would have to weigh up whether, if the car was returned, he wouldn’t end up reading a newspaper that three women were mowed down in Tralee by someone speeding in an Audi car.
The judge asked the teen: “Is that what you really wanted at 17 years of age, a 2-litre Audi?” to which he replied: “Probably not.”
He added: “I was just travelling on the road and didn’t look at the speed I was doing.”
Judge Cody said: “A 17-year-old learner driver, unaccompanied, driving a 2-litre Audi and he didn’t look at the speedometer. He had only half his driving lessons done and driving on a provisional licence.”
The judge said that if the teenager’s mother could not give him a guarantee that the Audi would not be driven at that speed ever again, the car would be “going to the crusher”.
Garda Sgt Jason Hughes said that gardaí stopped the car on 9 July on a motorway in Laois, impounded the car and charged the driver with dangerous driving and driving unaccompanied.
Judge Cody said that to allow a 17-year-old learner driver to drive a high-powered car at such a speed and unaccompanied was “totally irresponsible”.
He said he would return the car to the teenager’s mother on condition that her son never drove the car again. The car must be put up for sale immediately and, if it were not sold within 18 weeks from 23 July, it would be destroyed.
The judge said: “Under no circumstances should a child of 17 years of age be allowed to drive such an Audi. I’ll probably see him back before me again to answer to the dangerous driving charges.”
In a social media post at the time (photo above) titled ‘Is it a bird? Is it a plane?’, An Garda Síochána Laois/Offaly said: ‘No ... It's a 17-year-old unaccompanied learner permit holder travelling at 174 km/h on the M7. Not exactly the sort of flying lesson we recommend.
‘The vehicle was stopped and promptly seized under Section 109 of the Road Traffic Act.
‘Now comes the awkward conversation. The registered owner, whether that's mammy or daddy, will have to apply to the District Court if they want the car returned.’
Gardaí added: ‘Handing over the keys to an inexperienced driver doesn't just put lives at risk. It can also leave you explaining to a judge why your car should come home.
‘If your son or daughter has recently started driving, have that conversation today. It might be the most important driving lesson they ever receive.’
