Penalty points system to have new offences

Nine more offences will be added to the penalty points system in the next 12 months, beginning in June when driving without insurance will be added to the list.

New figures released yesterday show that almost 18,000 motorists have been issued with penalty points since the system was introduced six months ago.

The figure is expected to rise to 20,000 before the end of next week.

Meanwhile, the Department of Transport has not ruled out the possibility of introducing double points for bank holiday weekends, a system currently in operation in Australia.

It would mean drivers who commit just two offences could, in theory, lose their licence.

From June 1st, driving without insurance will be added to the penalty points system, incurring five points. From July 1st, not wearing a seat belt will also be included in the system, with drivers liable to two or four points.

After that, only seven offences are likely to be added to the list before the new penalty points computer system comes on stream in around 12 months, according to a spokesman for the Minister for Transport, Mr Brennan.

The seven offences, all of which must go to court, are: using a vehicle without a test certificate (five points on conviction); driving vehicle before remedying dangerous defect (three); driving vehicle while unfit (three); careless driving (five); driving dangerously defective vehicle (five); parking vehicle in dangerous position (five); breach of duties on occurrence of accident (five).

Mid-ranking gardaí have already voiced opposition to any addition of offences until the new computer system is working.

The Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) said it is still waiting to meet Mr Brennan, the Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell, and the Garda Commissioner, Mr Pat Byrne, on the issue of adding additional offences.

The Department of Transport said while doubling penalty points at bank holiday weekends has not been ruled out the full roll-out of the system is "more of a priority at the moment".

If double points were introduced it would mean a driver committing an offence which usually carried five points would incur 10 points for the same offence. A further speeding offence would be enough for that motorist to reach 12 points and lose their licence.

The figures released yesterday show that some 254 motorists have been caught speeding more than once - 245 have been caught twice, eight have been caught three times and one motorist has already had his/her licence endorsed four times.

As expected, Dublin tops the list with 4,867 motorists caught speeding. Cork is next on 1,930 followed by Kildare (738), Wexford (595) and Galway (590).

The figures, released by the Department of Transport, also show that since the introduction of the penalty points system last November the number of fatalities on Irish roads has fallen by 32 per cent. In the last six months 143 people have lost their lives on the roads compared with 211 in the same period 12 months earlier.

However, Mr Brennan said while the points system seemed to have brought about a change in driver habits he cautioned against complacency.

"There is a danger that we can slip back into old ways unless all those involved, gardaí, the Government, insurance companies and motorists, keep up their full level of commitment."

He urged those making journeys over the bank holiday weekend to drive with care.

It has emerged that more than one in 10 motorists caught under the new system have not had their licences endorsed because gardaí have not been able to trace them.

Some 2,211 of the almost 18,000 detected speeding fall into the unidentified category. Many are tourists or those driving foreign registered cars while others are Irish drivers with no licences.

The Irish Insurance Federation last night said it had received a commitment from all the motor insurers in the Republic that they would reward motorists with no penalty points with lower premiums. Any revenue raised by increasing premiums for drivers who have incurred points will be redistributed in the shape of lower premiums for those with no points.

Yesterday The Irish Times reported that Mr Brennan has asked insurance companies to reduce premiums by up to 15 per cent for drivers who do not collect penalty points.