Garda tip-off line to report dangerous driving had 8,000 complaints, but just 1.8% were convicted

Figures given to Green Party leader Roderic O'Gorman show while 7,918 submissions have been made to the website, just 64 resulted in a charge or summons, while 82 resulted in a fixed charge penalty notice.

A Garda tip-off line for dangerous drivers has seen nearly 8,000 submissions, but led to just a 1.8% conviction rate.

The Garda Traffic Watch online reporting system was launched in August 2024 amid concerns about rising levels of road traffic accidents. 

Once received, the online reports are logged by Garda staff at the Garda Information Services Centre, who then forward the reports to the superintendent in the relevant area to progress. 

A member of An Garda Síochána is then appointed to investigate the complaint, contacting the person who submitted the report to ascertain what occurred, whether there were any other witnesses, and to take a written statement. 

Photographs and videos of incidents cannot be uploaded as part of the initial complaint, but can be handed over to the investigating garda. If it is believed an offence has been committed following the investigation, a file is submitted to the superintendent, who will decide what, if any action, is to be taken.

Traffic Watch has been hailed as a very important tool by gardaí as it "empowers responsible road users to work with An Garda Síochána in enhancing road safety for all".

However, figures given to Green Party leader Roderic O'Gorman show while 7,918 submissions have been made to the website, just 64 resulted in a charge or summons, while 82 resulted in a fixed charge penalty notice.

Mr O'Gorman said the figures showed the system was not working.

“With road fatalities in 2025 being even higher than in 2024, it is not acceptable that the online portal set up by the gardaí to help people report road safety incidents has only resulted in a 1.8% prosecution rate. 

This system isn’t working. It either needs to be properly resourced, or scrapped and relaced with something that results in meaningful consequences for those who engage in dangerous behaviour on our roads.

The Green Party's transport spokesperson Cllr Feljin Jose said the system was not working due to technical limitations. He said without the ability to receive video footage, the Garda system allowed dangerous drivers to remain on the roads.

“An online reporting tool to submit video evidence was promised many years ago. Every day, people witness and record incidents of dangerous driving through dashcams and bike cameras. It's often the same drivers, but nothing gets done with the evidence and the dangerous drivers remain on the road.

"Until the gardaí allow people to easily submit video evidence of these incidents, those drivers will remain on the road and continue to endanger people's lives."

A number of fatalities in recent days brought 186 the number of people who have died on Irish roads so far in 2025. The Government was last week criticised for a “damaging U-turn” on what campaigners say is critical reform of the Road Safety Authority (RSA).

An independent external review of the RSA by Indecon consultants recommended its reform by splitting it into two agencies, one responsible for road safety and another for functions such as the NCT and driver testing. 

However, minister for road safety Sean Canney last week told TheJournal.ie that it was "business as usual" at the RSA.