Cullen planning expansion of penalty points scheme
Minister for Transport Martin Cullen is due to announce a major expansion of the penalty points scheme for motorists later today.
At present, just four offences are covered by the initiative: speeding, non-wearing of seat-belts, careless driving and driving without insurance.
However, this will be increased to 35 from April of this year under plans to be announced by Mr Cullen today.
The new offences, which focus mainly on bad driving habits, include dangerous overtaking, breaking red lights, failing to obey 'stop' and 'yield' signs, constant changing between lanes and driving on the hard shoulder.
The opposition has ridiculed the minister's new plan, saying Mr Cullen is great for making announcements without ever delivering on the promises.
Conor Faughnan of AA Roadwatch, meanwhile, said the minister's expansion needed to be backed up with a proper system of enforcement.
"It is simply ink on paper unless we're enforcing properly," he said.
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