Just what do those stickers with a red L, N or R on them mean when the show up on Irish cars? When you spot the letter signs it means that you have come across a L-driver, a N-driver, or a R-driver. When driving through Ireland , you will see cars marked with special "plates" (which are really large stickers or printed signs) - called L-plates, N-plates, or R-plates. These are a warning to you that the drivers with these plates should not quite be trusted to adhere to the usual best practices on the road. These colored letters mean that there is a new driver behind the steering wheel. Take them as a sign that the car in questions is handled by someone who may not yet be entirely competent yet, and you can expect the occasional erratic driving or even excruciating slow driving. But what is the real, legal purpose of these plates? In a nutshell, they identify new drivers to the world, while at the same time reminding the people manning those cars that their new ...