NCT surge highlights Garda role

THERE HAVE been calls to ramp up Garda enforcement of motoring regulations after it emerged that 100,055 motorists booked a National Car Test (NCT) in the two weeks before the May 1st deadline for additional penalty points.

The high number of motorists presenting cars for a test involved more than 79,000 vehicles already in breach of regulations which could have had their owners facing fines of up to €1,500, had they been detected using them on the roads.

The rush to compliance in the face of five penalty points for driving a vehicle without a valid NCT – or Certificate of Road Worthiness for a commercial vehicle – has led to employment of 22 more booking staff and an expanded web booking service.

The Road Safety Authority (RSA) said the investment will allow the roll-out of more penalty point offences in coming months as the Department of Transport goes ahead with the introduction of demerits for 28 more offences, covering driving, licensing and vehicle condition.

Despite the fact the Garda prosecuted more than 45,000 motorists for NCT-related offences last year, Fine Gael spokesman on Transport Fergus O’Dowd said the RSA figures “show compliance is still clearly a question of enforcement”. He said the need for more Garda resources was being revealed after the target of a 1,200-member Garda Traffic Corps by 2008 had been missed.

Among offences due to attract penalty points under the Road Safety Strategy are “driving offences” such as failing to wear a helmet on a motorbike, or failing to ensure a pillion passenger wears one. Both offences will attract two points, rising to four on a court conviction.

On “licensing offences”, driving without a licence will attract two points, rising to five on conviction. Failure to produce a licence will attract one point, rising to three on conviction, with similar points for those applying for a licence while disqualified, or who give false or misleading information when applying.

Over 20 “vehicle offences” soon to attract penalty points relate to lights, the fitting of speed limiters for HGVs and issues such as condition of brakes. The biggest penalties will be two points, rising to four on conviction, for driving a vehicle without seat belts fitted and failure to heed height restrictions.

Asked for a timeline for the introduction of the remaining penalty point offences, a spokeswoman for the Department of Transport said: “Penalty points for other motoring offences will be introduced on a phased basis over the lifetime of the Road Safety Strategy.”