Defective tyres? That’ll be an €80 fine and two penalty points

Drivers found with defective or worn tyres on vehicles will now face penalty points.

Minister for Transport Paschal Donohoe, announcing the latest motoring offence to incur points, said defective tyres had proven to be a significant contributory factor in road deaths.

Earlier this month the Road Safety Authority (RSA) said "vehicle factors" played a role in one in eight fatal collisions between 2008 and 2012.

It is already an offence to drive with defective or worn tyres, but now a fixed charge of €80 will apply with two penalty points, rising to four following a conviction in court.

Sunday introduction

The new regulations take effect from Sunday.

Defective tyres were “the most significant factor” in vehicle-related fatalities, Mr Donohoe said, linked to the deaths of 71 people in the past five years.

“None of us can predict what will happen on our roads - we may encounter other drivers behaving poorly or adverse weather conditions,” he said.

“However, we can take personal responsibility for ensuring that our vehicle is properly maintained and be confident that our tyres can reliably respond to whatever conditions we may encounter.”