Drivers risk death by ‘toll-gating’ in bid to avoid fee

HUNDREDS of motorists have been risking highway pile-ups by driving close behind large trucks to avoid paying tolls on the country’s busiest road.

Under the practice, known as ‘toll-gating’, drivers seeking to avoid detection on the M50 motorway have taken to driving four feet away from the back of lorries so cameras cannot read their licence plates.

Gardaí revealed yesterday that last month there were 1,605 ‘non-reads’ of front licence plates, while in recent months, gardaí have caught more than 100 people ‘toll-gating,’ resulting in penalty points and fines being issued.

Gardaí targeted the practice in recent months following complaints from the public and fears over a motorway pile-up.

Around 100,000 vehicles use the M50 daily and eFlow, which manages the toll gate, has introduced cameras which can read rear licence plates, meaning ‘toll-gating’ is now, effectively, obsolete. Some of the 1,605 ‘non-reads’ may be penalised retrospectively.

Insp Liam Carolan of the Dublin Metropolitan Region’s Traffic Centre in Dublin Castle said the only reason there had not been a serious accident on the M50 due to the practice was luck. Safe stopping distance for a vehicle travelling at 80km/h in dry conditions is almost 53 metres, or 173ft. This grows to 81.4 metres or 267ft in wet conditions.

Garda operations aimed at stamping out the practice, began on October 29 last, when 14 notices were issued to drivers. On November 17, some 21 notices were issued, with 30 issued on November 24.

Since February 16 last, Garda vehicles with Automated Number Plate Recognition cameras have caught a further 41 people.

Gardaí also say that two new pieces of equipment being rolled out to every division countrywide are likely to put the brakes on ‘boy racers’. The Tintman device allows gardaí to measure the amount of light getting through tinted windows. Regulations specify that at least 65% of light must be able to get through the front and side driver and passenger windows, yet gardaí say some vehicles are so tinted just 30% of light gets in.

The second device, the soundmeter, measures an exhaust’s noise levels. The maximum level under the law is 99 decibels, but some exhausts reach 120 decibels.

Both offences — which could feature penalty points in the future — carry fines of €1,000 for a first offence, rising to €2,000 for second and subsequent offences and up to a maximum of three months in prison.