Penalty points a success: Safety Council

The National Safety Council has hailed the penalty points system for motorists as a success.

The council said today that road deaths in Ireland were down 8.5% so far this year compared with the same period last year.

The Mater Hospital in Dublin has also reported a 50% fall in admissions to its spinal unit since the introduction of the penalty points scheme last October.

Despite praising the scheme, the National Safety Council said drink-driving remained a serious problem in Ireland.