More penalty point offences to be added next year

Motorists will face a range of new penalty points offences from early next year for careless driving, dangerous overtaking and the use of a mobile phone while driving.

Despite threats by gardaí that they will not enforce further penalty points until a computerised system is put in place, the Minister for Transport, Mr Brennan, is set to announce the new measures early next year.

Careless driving offences will carry two penalty points, and five points if convicted in court, as will the offence of dangerous overtaking.

Mobile phone offences will carry a single penalty point and a fine, or three penalty points if convicted in court.

While an amount for the fine has yet to be agreed, Department of Transport sources say it is likely to be similar to Britain, where new laws mean offenders face fines of £30 sterling (€43), or a fine on conviction of up to £1,000 for persistent offenders.

The inclusion of the mobile phone offence into the penalty points system, however, may take several months, as it will require separate legislation.

In all, more than 60 offences are due to be added to the full penalty points system midway through next year.

However, just three road traffic offences - speeding, uninsured driving and driving without a safety-belt - currently carry penalty points.

A spokesman for Mr Brennan said that difficulties in establishing a computerised system had hampered attempts to get the full system up and running. The contract for the computer system was signed 18 months ago.

The computer-related difficulties also mean that insurance companies are unable to access motorists' penalty points records, which they were promised in exchange for reducing insurance premiums.

However, only one motor insurance company, Hibernian, has agreed to reduce its premiums by 10 per cent in exchange for access to the system.

The Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors said earlier this year that it would not agree to any new offences being added to the penalty points system until it was computerised.

However, the group issued similar warnings before penalty points for speeding were introduced just over a year ago. Department of Transport officials estimate that, in this time, it has helped save up to 77 lives.