Speeding detections down sharply since penalty points
The number of motorists being caught speeding has reportedly been declining ever since the introduction of penalty points three and a half years ago.
Reports this morning said figures from the Department of Justice showed that just over 272,000 people were caught speeding in 2001, before the points system was introduced.
This fell to just over 246,000 the following year, when the system came into force.
The decline then accelerated, with just under 158,000 motorists caught speeding in 2003 and just under 142,000 in 2004 before a slight increase to around 143,500 last year.
Labour Party TD Roisín Shortall is claiming the figures show enforcement efforts by the Gardaí have deteriorated under the points scheme.
She says she does not believe the decline is a result of a change in driver behaviour because the number of deaths on the roads has been increasing over the same period.
