One in six Irish motorists have been involved in at least one collision when learning how to drive.
A survey of more than 5,000 people by AA Young Driver Insurance found almost 18% had experienced one or more crashes with their L plates on.
One in 12 also admitted using a family member’s car without their permission.
The AA’s Conor Faughnan said: “Learning to drive is much more refined than previous decades where someone could take to the road on their own.
“However, the time where you are first learning to drive is still a dangerous one and represents a time when many motorists are likely to be involved in at least a minor incident.
“Even a minor incident can put further financial strain on young motorists, who may face a difficult choice between claiming against their insurance early in their driving career or trying to cover the costs of an accident as well as their other motoring expenses.”
The survey also found almost a third of learner drivers had caused some form of bodywork damage to their own car, separate to damage from a collision.
