RSA warns of ‘painful’ 181-day ban from driving

MORE than 260 offending motorists who have clocked up the full quota of penalty points have been pulled off Irish roads.

The 262 drivers have lost their licences for six months after accumulating 12 points.

The Road Safety Authority warned motorists yesterday about the “painful” experience of disqualification for the 181 days under the law.

Spokesman Brian Farrell said: “The effect is the cost it has on their insurance. What effect will it have on your quality of life? It would also be difficult for someone relying on a car for work.”

The latest penalty point details up to August 15 reveal that of those disqualified from driving, more than half have since got back behind the wheel.

The six-month ban has expired for 141 motorists.

Another 87 drivers are banned from driving and a further 25 are awaiting letters notifying them of their disqualification.

Insurance companies yesterday could not indicate how much extra disqualified drivers end up paying for their premiums.

The Irish Insurance Federation said it would probably be at least hundreds of euro.

Hibernian Insurance — where drivers with no points receive a 20% discount — said each premium was individually rated.

The full range of points include up to 36 offences of about 50 originally pledged by the Department of Transport.

After the near 350,000 who are on two points, the second biggest category of drivers are the 64,464 on four points.

There are 538 drivers on 10 and 11 points, just two points or less away from disqualification.

The Automobile Association said drivers’ insurance in general remained unaffected until significant points started to clock up on licences.

The group’s Conor Faughnan said: “Most penalty points are ignored until you start getting four or six. By then insurance companies start to load premiums with extras.”

The least amount of drivers on points are the ones with 11 points, who amount to just 31.

The new figures from the Road Safety Authority come after a survey last week on people’s attitudes to driving.

More than twice the number of motorists quizzed for the Irish Insurance Federation survey compared to last year said they thought penalty points were “effective”.