More penalty points issued in 2020 despite fall in traffic volumes

In Cork, motorists received 20,729 penalty points for various driving offences last year compared to 20,529 in 2019. Picture: Dan Linehan

More penalty points were issued to motorists last year than in 2019 despite reduced traffic volumes on the road because of Covid-19 restrictions.

A total of 197,631 penalty points were issued to motorists for various driving offences in 2020 compared to 187,554 in 2019, according to figures collated by the Road Safety Authority (RSA).

This is despite several lockdowns during the year because of Covid-19 public health restrictions, which led to significantly reduced traffic volumes, in particular in the first wave of the pandemic.

Data from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) shows that the volume of cars on the roads was more than 70% lower than in 2019 when restrictions were most stringent between April and May last year.

The relaxation of restrictions during the summer of 2020 saw traffic volumes return to almost normal levels but subsequent lockdowns saw the number of cars on the road fall again last autumn and into winter.

Speeding in 50km per hour zones

The RSA data also shows that the highest number of penalty points were issued for speeding in a 50km per hour speed limit.

Last year more than 51,000 penalty points were issued for this offence compared to just over 40,000 in 2019.

Motorists in counties Dublin and Cork also attracted the highest number of penalties in line with 2019 trends.

Last year 48,344 penalty points were issued to motorists in Dublin, over 5,000 more than in 2019 (43,036).

In Cork, motorists received 20,729 penalty points for various driving offences last year compared to 20,529 in 2019.

Road deaths

The RSA said the volume of penalty points issued in 2020 was “disappointing” and that Covid-19 public health restrictions did not result in a “road safety dividend” last year with 148 deaths on the road.

“While it is disappointing to see so many penalty points notices being issued last year it certainly indicates that the Gardai have been focusing on enforcement of life saver offences in 2020,” a spokesperson for the RSA said.

“We also know from road collision figures that there was no road safety dividend from Covid-19 in 2020. A total of 148 people were killed on the road last year which was an increase of eight compared to 2019. Throughout 2020 the gardaí highlighted concerns around the numbers of drivers speeding, drink driving and the number of drug driving detections they were making,” they added.

“The penalty point figures should serve as a reminder to people that if they engage in unsafe and dangerous behaviour they risk penalty points and a fine which could lead to disqualification,” they concluded.