Motorists face penalty points for speeding

MOTORISTS stopped for speeding from Thursday onwards face on-the-spot fines of 80 and two penalty points on their licence under a radical shake-up of the country's road safety laws.

Last year some 320,000 drivers were stopped for speeding offences, but Government officials expect the new penalty points system will dramatically cut down speeding on our roads.

Any driver who clocks up 12 points in three years will be forced off the road, their licenses revoked for six months.

Many motorists also face further hikes in insurance premiums as some insurance firms will demand that drivers disclose how many penalty points they have received.

The Irish Insurance Industry Federation said it was a matter for individual companies, but it is understood a number of firms are to use this information when calculating premiums.

The Department of Transport last night downplayed fears gardaí will not co-operate with the system because of increased levels of paperwork. Transport officials say a private data firm will take all responsibility for paperwork.

While speeding offences are the only area of safety to be included under the penalty points, another 60 areas of traffic law are to be included over the next year or so.

In about six months points will be deducted for failing to wear a safety belt, according to Department of Transport sources, while other offences such as breaking red lights, driving while using a mobile phone and careless driving will be included after a year or so. Most of these will carry a two-point penalty.

The penalty points system is the cornerstone of the Government's road safety strategy to reduce road deaths by as many as 80 a year.

It was first agreed by Cabinet in 1998 but has been hampered by a long-running controversy over the computer system to handle the processing of the penalty points.

The Department of Finance refused earlier this year to bankroll a 11 million computer system needed by the Garda to implement the new road safety scheme. he Department has shrugged off suggestions the penalty points system will be wide open to legal challenges. District Court Judge William Early said motorists have no way of putting forward a defence case when points are first placed on licences by gardaí.