Bill to impose more penalty points for some driving offences
Transport Minister Leo Varadkar has published a new Bill which will see tougher penalty points introduced for three different road offences.
Speeding will now attract three points on payment of fixed charge and five on conviction (previously two and four).
Mobile phone use will now attract three points on payment of fixed charge and five on conviction (previously two and four).
Non-wearing of seatbelts will now attract three points on payment of fixed charge and five on conviction (previously two and four).
Other offences such as non-display of an NCT certificate, which at present involve a court appearance, will attract two points on payment of fixed charge.
The legislation also provides for roadside drug impairment tests.
Transport Minister Leo Varadkar says he hopes these will lead to a marked improvement in road safety.
"There's no reliable system of testing on the roadside, in the way that you would with a breathalyser, for example," he said.
"What we are bringing in is evidential testing, so it's proper neurological testing, involving past-pointing and stepping and so on, and gardaí are trained to do that, and that can be then admissible as evidence in court, but ideally it will be backed up by a blood or urine sample as well."
