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A British L-plate
A British L-plate

An L-plate is a square plate bearing a sans-serif letter L, for "learner", which must be affixed to the front and back of a car in many countries if its driver is a learner under instruction.

Contents

Drivers under instruction

A D-plate on a car parked at Llanfairpwll railway station.
A D-plate on a car parked at Llanfairpwll railway station. Llanfairpwll railway station is a station on the North Wales Coast Line from London Euston station to Holyhead on Anglesey.

Additional restrictions may be imposed upon drivers with a learner's licence. In Northern Ireland displaying an L-plate restricts the driver to a maximum speed of 72km/h (45mph). Northern Ireland (Tuaisceart Éireann Ulster Scots: Norlin Airlann) is a Country within the United Kingdom, lying in the northeast of In Australia, in the states New South Wales, South Australia and Tasmania, displaying an L-plate restricts the driver's speed to 80km/h (49mph). South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country Tasmania is an Australian island and state of the same name It is located south of the eastern side of the Continent, being separated from it by Bass

The signs may be magnetic, made of sticky-back plastic, electrostatic or affixed with suction caps. They can be bought at motoring supply shops and petrol stations. A filling station, fueling station, gas station, service station, petrol station, or gasbar, Retail Outlet Cars belonging to driving schools often have signs attached to the roof identifying and advertising the school. These signs also carry the required L-plates.

L-plates are a familiar part of popular culture, and are often jokingly used or referred to in settings analogous to driving tests, such as ordinations, stag nights, etc. In general religious use ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is set apart as Clergy to perform various religious rites and ceremonies A bachelor party (United States South Africa also known as a stag party or stag night or stag do (UK Ireland Canada and New Zealand bull's As a crossword abbreviation, the word "student" or "learner" often refers to the letter L. Cryptic crosswords often use Abbreviations to clue individual letters or short fragments of the overall solution

Newly qualified drivers

Australia

In Australia the rules vary from state to state, a new driver holds a Learner licence/permit which has a minimum age of 16 and 17. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. This must then be held for a certain amount of time before a driving examination can be undertaken, after passing the driver must display 'P' Plates. Holders of a provisional/probationary licence may be restricted compared to fully licensed drivers in speed, blood alcohol limits, limits on the type and power of their car's engine (i. Blood alcohol content or blood alcohol concentration (abbreviated BAC) is the concentration of alcohol in a person's Blood. e, no more than 6 cylinders, no forced induction), and number of demerit points that can be deducted. For other uses of the word point see Point A point system is one in which a driver's licensing authority issues demerits or points

In all states, newly licenced drivers are required by law to display P-plates for varying lengths of time. The P is usually a red letter on a white background or a white letter on a red background (Victoria only). In New South Wales there are two classes of provisional licence, red P-plates are for the first year after passing the Learner test and then after passing a computerised test they are green for two years. Victoria is introducing the same scheme, but standard P-Plates are a white P on a red background, then white P on a green background.

As of July 2007, newly issued Queensland drivers licences have new restrictions for those under 25. Learners must first log 100 hours of driving experience (including 10 hours of night time experience) before taking their practical driving examination. Learners can boost this experience by taking professional lessons which counts for 3 times the hours, for up to 10 hours (or 30 logbook hours. ) After a period of one year provisional drivers must then pass a hazard-perception test to move from red to green P-Plates. New restrictions also prevent any under-25, Queensland provisional licence-holder from carrying more than one passenger under the age of 21, who is not an immediate family member, between the hours of 11pm and 5am.

Canada

In British Columbia, following the instructional phase and after passing a road test, new drivers are required to show a green "N" (for novice) plate until they have passed an additional road test, usually after 24 months. Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page British Columbia (ˌbrɪtɨʃ kəˈlʌmbiə ( BC) ( (la Colombie-Britannique C

United Kingdom

After learners in Great Britain pass their driving test, they may opt to display green P-plates (for "probationary") to show their lack of experience; this is entirely voluntary however. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located See also Kingdom of Great Britain Great Britain (Breatainn Mhòr Prydain Fawr Breten Veur Graet Breetain is the larger of the two main islands A driving test (also known as a driving exam) is a procedure designed to test a person's ability to drive a Motor vehicle. Some new drivers use green L plates (the pre-test colour being red), however as the L usually stands for Learner it is more common to use P Plates.

In Northern Ireland for one year after the passing of a driving test, the driver is defined as a "restricted driver" who must not exceed 45 mph and must display an "R-plate" consisting of an amber sans-serif R on a white background. Northern Ireland (Tuaisceart Éireann Ulster Scots: Norlin Airlann) is a Country within the United Kingdom, lying in the northeast of L-plates in Northern Ireland commonly have an R-plate as a reverse side. "R-plate" drivers are often viewed as a nuisance on motorways, due to their limited speed, resulting in many restricted drivers not displaying their "R-plates" or keep to the restricted speed limit. [1] [2]

Isle of Man

In the Isle of Man for one year, an "R-plate" must be shown after passing the driving test. The Isle of Man (Ellan Vannin ˈɛlʲən ˈvanɪn or Mann (Mannin) is a self-governing Crown dependency, located in the Irish Sea at the geographical The Isle of Man (Ellan Vannin ˈɛlʲən ˈvanɪn or Mann (Mannin) is a self-governing Crown dependency, located in the Irish Sea at the geographical Restricted to 50 mph on usually un-restricted Manx roads. Like Northern Ireland, the R plate is a Red R on a white plate. A licence can be obtained at 17 on the island and during the provisional licence (can be obtained at 16) a L plate must be shown like Ireland and UK

Ireland

In Ireland, you can obtain a learners permit at the age of 17. Ireland ( Irish: Éire, ˈeːrʲə is a country in north-western Europe. When driving on a learners permit, you must display L-plates (one front, and one rear) and be accompanied by a driver who has held a full license. for at least two years. However these laws are not routinely enforced by the Gardaí (Police) at present. ga '''''Garda Síochána na hÉireann''''' (ˈgaːrdə ʃiːˈxaːnə nə ˈheːɾʲən Irish for "Peace Guard of Ireland" often rendered

A learners permit is valid for two years, and will be renewed once without the holder having sat a driving test. After this, proof of having applied for a test is required for further renewal. A permit holder may not sit a test for at least six months after receiving their permit.

Prior to October 2007, a "provisional license" was issued which had more lax restrictions - on its first renewal, the holder could drive unaccompanied (but must continue to display L plates), and the accompanying driver did not need any experience, just a full license. The third or further renewals of the license - e. g. after failing a test and the expiry of your second license - brought back the accompaniment requirement. This unusual arrangement led to a situation where a learner driver, having failed their driving test on a 2nd Provisional, could legally drive away from the test center unaccompanied.

Prior to December 2007 an L-plate was not required for motorcyclists. A fluorescent tadbard displaying an 'L' on the rear is now required for motorcyclists using a provisional licence or learner permit. [3]

The new measures were brought in in an effort to improve road safety, and will be followed by the introduction of 'tiered licensing', with harsher rules applying to those holding a full license for less than two years. However, the changes were not retroactive and there are still large quantities of holders of the original provisional licenses on the roads.

Similar plates

German learner's plate
German learner's plate

Elsewhere in the world, varying designs are used. In Germany, a usually red plate displaying the word Fahrschule (driving school) is placed on the vehicles during instruction. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. In Sweden, the plate is green with the text Övningskör (driving practice)[4]. "Sverige" redirects here For other uses see Sweden (disambiguation and Sverige (disambiguation. In Czechoslovakia, white L on blue field, similar to Swiss one, had been used, but many driving schools ceased from this recently, rather tagging their cars with letters "Autoškola" what means "Car School" or, if you wish, "Driving School".

Spanish new driver plate
Spanish new driver plate
Spanish L plate - for driving school
Spanish L plate - for driving school

Plate Designs

A British/Irish L-Plate

An alternative Welsh D-Plate

An Australian/ New Zealander L-Plate

A Swiss L-Plate

A British Columbian L-Plate

A Northern Ireland and Isle of Man R-Plate

References

  1. ^ BBC News Northern Ireland 31 July 2006 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/5224390.stm
  2. ^ Law on the R plate in Northern Ireland
  3. ^ http://www.rulesoftheroad.ie/rules-for-pedestrians-cyclists-motorcyclists/motorcyclists/motorcycle_licence.html
  4. ^ Krav för att övningsköra för B-körkort - requirements in order to begin the driving practice

External links

Dictionary

L-plate

-noun

  1. (UK) A plastic square consisting of a large red letter L on a white background, placed on the front and rear of a vehicle to indicate that the driver is a learner.
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