Transport

Motorists may face higher penalty points at bank holidays

Proposal to be included in road safety legislation already introduced in other jurisdictions

Garda speed checkpoint: Bank holidays statistically more likely to see serious collisions as more people use roads. Photograph: Grainne Ni Aodha/PA
Garda speed checkpoint: Bank holidays statistically more likely to see serious collisions as more people use roads. Photograph: Grainne Ni Aodha/PA
Cormac McQuinn
Mon Oct 16 2023 - 08:26

Motorists who commit traffic offences at bank holiday weekends will face higher penalty points under proposed legislation aimed at improving road safety.

Bank holidays see more people on roads than usual, and fatal or serious collisions are statistically more likely to happen.

The proposal for motorists to get higher penalty points at bank holiday weekends for offences such as speeding is to be included in the Road Traffic Measures Bill 2023 being developed by Minister of State for Transport Jack Chambers.

The move to increase penalty points for specific periods like bank holiday weekends has been successfully introduced in other jurisdictions like Australia.

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Gardaí, politicians and the Road Safety Authority (RSA) routinely urge motorists to take care while driving ahead of bank holiday weekends.

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Before the August bank holiday, RSA chief executive Sam Waide highlighted the “alarming increase” in road deaths in the first half of 2023 as he advised drivers to slow down and warned people not to get behind the wheel if they are under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Mr Chambers said of his planned legislation: “I am determined to do everything in my power to reduce road deaths and make our roads safer.”

He said enforcement and the visibility of gardaí played a “huge role” but “we are also responding with new legislation, covering a range of issues and trends that have been identified as being significant contributors to road collision on our roads in one single Bill so the changes required can be made in a timely manner.” He said: “The data clearly shows there is increased risk on our roads on bank holiday weekends.

“Increasing penalty points for bank holiday weekends would act as a clear deterrent and help to make our roads safer.”

[ Readers on speed limits and road safety: ‘Changing the law means nothing without adequate enforcement’ ]

[ The Debate: Will lower speed limits reduce road deaths? A safety campaigner vs a psychologist ]

Another measure expected to be included in the planned legislation is an increase in the number of penalty points for motorists who are detected committing more than one driving offence.

The intention is to address what Mr Chambers has called an “anomaly” in road traffic legislation where, if a driver commits two offences or more, only the most serious offence is subject to penalty points.

Another proposal is to require mandatory testing for drugs at the scene of road collisions.

Gardaí are only required to undertake mandatory alcohol testing, though they can opt to test for drugs.

Cormac McQuinn

Cormac McQuinn

Cormac McQuinn is a Political Correspondent at The Irish Times