Penalty points issued down by 12%

30/06/2014

The number of penalty points issued on Irish roads in 2013 fell by 12% - but the drop was due to lack of resources rather that improved driver behaviour.

Despite the first increase in the number of road deaths since 2005, Gardai issued 28,672 fewer points than they had done in 2012.

Figures released by the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport show that 43,171 offences were recorded in Dublin – 20% of the national total.

245 people were disqualified from driving – down from 263 in 2012. “If the number of collisions is up, the amount of traffic on the roads is up and the number of deaths are up, how is it possible that the number of penalty points is down?” asked Director for Consumer Affairs for AA Ireland, Conor Faughnan.

Leitrim (1,424) remains the county with the least amount of penalty points, with less than 1% of the total issued.

Speeding is of course the single biggest recorded offence, accounting for 77% of points recorded. 11% of those issued with penalty points were caught driving while holding their mobile phones.

Tipperary experienced the greatest increase in the number of points received by drivers, with an additional 1,307 issued in 2013 compared to 2012. There were also increases in Carlow, Cavan, Kilkenny, Laois, Mayo, Monaghan, Waterford and Wexford.