Fines for speeding, phone use and seatbelt breaches set to increase
A proposal to increase fines for breaking the rules of the roads has been endorsed by the Road Safety Authority.
The RSA urged the Department of Transport to raise penalties to a "meaningful" level "to ensure compliance".
The Authority was speaking after comments made by Minister of State Hildegarde Naughton at the quarterly meeting of the Ministerial Committee on Road Safety where the agenda was dominated by an "upward trend" in road deaths in 2022.
As of July 12, 87 people had died on Irish roads in 2022, an increase of 27 on the figure at the same date in 2021. While some of the difference can be accounted for by exceptionally low figures in 2021 due to lockdown, the trend was described by the Department as "worrying", noting that numbers are rising above pre-COVID levels.
Speeding: A fixed charge fine of €80, together with 3 penalty points.
Seatbelt offences: If you drive without a seatbelt, or allow children under 17 years to travel in your car without a seatbelt, you will incur a fixed charge fine of €60. 3 penalty points will be added to your licence.
Using phone while driving: A fixed charge fine of €60 and two penalty points.
"If we are to tackle the growing number of deaths on our roads, we must take meaningful and tangible action," said Minister Naughton. "We must target measures so as to ensure that speeding, phone use and non-wearing of seatbelts are no longer contributors to road deaths."
She outlined that the Department of Transport will now commence work on making the necessary regulations to allow for increased fixed charges.
Minister Naughton noted that opinion polls appear to support such a move.
"We know that 70% of motorists support an increase to the current penalty for the use of mobile phones while driving and two thirds of drivers would like an increase on the fines relating to driving without wearing a seat belt," she said.
A further survey indicated 61% of motorists support increasing the current penalty for speeding.
'Too many'
The Road Safety Authority (RSA) has welcomed the junior minister's comments.
“Unfortunately, people are disregarding the rules and the penalties must be meaningful to ensure compliance. Too many people are being killed and seriously injured. We must act to save lives,” said Liz O’Donnell, RSA Chairperson.
The government's Road Safety Strategy, which runs from 2021 to 2030, aims to reducing deaths and serious injuries by 50% over the next decade; and ultimately zero deaths and serious injuries on the Republic's roads by 2050.
"We need to transform our approach to road safety in Ireland if we are to achieve these ambitious targets. Part of this transformational approach includes implementing tougher sanctions for speeding, non-seat belt use and using a mobile phone while driving.”