Transport Minister, Séamus Brennan today announced the extension of the penalty points system to seat belt offences.

"I am extending the penalty points system to seat belt offences, with effect from Monday, 25^th August, 2003, and would particularly point out to motorists, if you do not use a seat belt or allow children under 17 years of age to be carried in your car without being restrained, you are liable to penalty points", the Minister stated.

If a driver is convicted in court of a seat belt offence, 4 penalty points will be endorsed on their driving licence record and they will be liable to a maximum fine of €800 for a first offence. A driver who is detected committing a seat belt offence will have the option to pay a fixed charge of €60 within 28 days or €90 if paid within 56 days and incur 2 penalty points instead of opting to go to court.

"Following consultation with my colleague the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform and the Garda Síochána this extension of the penalty points system is being introduced at this very appropriate time with children returning to school after the summer holidays and in many cases being driven to school in their parent's vehicles", the Minister stated.  

Minister Brennan re-iterated that he finds it extraordinary that many parents will still not ensure that their children are restrained when being carried in cars.
Last year, the Garda Síochána made almost 55,000 detections for seat belt offences.  "It is vital that the road safety message of  'Belt-up' gets across to all motorists," said the Minister.

This latest extension of the penalty points system means that drivers face the endorsement of their driving licence records with penalty points for three road traffic offences - speeding, insurance and seat belt offences.   Any driver who accumulates 12 penalty points at any time inside a three-year period will be automatically disqualified from driving for six months.  When the penalty points system is fully computerised some 69 offences will incur penalty points.

Under the Regulations that become effective on Monday:

• Drivers who are found not wearing a seat belt or whose passengers aged under 17 years are not wearing a seat belt or, in the case of children under age 4 who are not suitably restrained, will incur 2 penalty points on their licence record and face a fixed charge.

• Those failing to pay the charge within the 28 days face a fixed charge of  €90 which must be paid within a further 28 days (and will incur the 2 penalty points on their driving licence record). 

• Drivers who are convicted in court of a seat belt offence, will have 4 penalty points endorsed on their driving licence record and are liable to a maximum fine of up to €800 for the first offence and €1,500 for the second and subsequent offences.

• Fixed charge for drivers not wearing seat belts is €60 an increase of €35 on the previous on the spot fine of €25.

• Drivers face a fixed charge of €60 for each passenger under 17 years of age who is not wearing a seat belt or in the case of children under 4 years of age, suitably restrained.

• Passengers aged 17 years and over face on the spot fine of €25 for not wearing a seat belt.

A survey of seat belt wearing rates, carried out by the National Roads Authority (NRA) in 2002 shows that the overall wearing rates (driver & front passenger) increased to 72% in 2002 from 52% in 1991. "While it is encouraging, the wearing rate is well below the level at which we would see significant road safety benefits" Minister Brennan stated. "The wearing rate for rear seat passengers, estimated at no more than 20% was a source of particular concern", the Minister added, "especially as children are generally carried in rear seats."

Minister Brennan stated: "The penalty points system is now almost 10 months old and Im confident that it has contributed substantially to road safety in a strongly rising car population.  Injuries are down about 30% and the number of road deaths between 1^st November 2002 and 31^st July 2003 was 251, a drop of 56 on the same period in the preceding 12 months when 307 lives were lost.  The number and extent of insurance claims are also down considerably, evidenced by the increasing profitability in the motor sector, as recently announced.  Ensuring that penalty points contribute to road safety is a constant battle and requires the full support of the Gardai and public alike.

"The attached breakdown of penalty point notices highlights that disqualification for 6 months is becoming a reality for those who are persistently committing road traffic offences", the Minister added.

PENALTY POINTS UPDATE

Ends

22^nd August 2003

Further information: Veronica Scanlan 6041087 or 087 6430622.