Drivers escaping 31% of penalty points

THE PROPORTION of drivers escaping penalty points has increased sharply since 2007 and now stands at almost one in three, new figures show.

Penalty point statistics to March 31st show more than 31 per cent, or 192,680 of the 617,444 penalty points issued, were not allocated.

The proportion of unallocated points has increased in recent years from 27.7 per cent in March 2008 and 23 per cent in 2007.

Fine Gael transport spokesman Fergus O’Dowd said the failure of a third of penalty points to be allocated to motorists was “bringing the system into disrepute”.

Drivers from the North or with a licence from outside the State cannot receive penalty points for offences committed here.

According to a Department of Transport analysis of the issue, some 74 per cent of cases where penalty points could not be applied related to motorists with a driving licence from another jurisdiction.

One source of frustration for the Garda is that a significant proportion of Irish motorists brought to court for non-payment of penalty point fines are claiming not to have received the summons.

In many cases, these escape prosecution as gardaí cannot prove the delivery of the summons.

The Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors has called for this “loophole” to be closed.