An Garda Siochana has confirmed that it is looking into the possibility of levying extra penalty points for traffic offences committed on Bank Holidays.
Bank Holidays are the most dangerous days on the road
Bank Holiday weekends are often the most deadly and dangerous times on Irish roads, with extra traffic volumes, longer journeys being undertaken and - too often - a mix of impatience and intoxication behind the wheel. Although putting an extra-points programme in place is not something that falls under the remit of the Gardai (it would require legislation to be passed by the Dail) Assistant Commissioner for Roads Policing, Dave Sheehan has said this week that such a move is under consideration. AC Sheehan pointed out that such a system is already in use, with some success, in Australia.
The move comes as the Gardai confirm that some 900 additional roads and locations around the country are being added to the mobile speed camera roster (although some 575 areas are also being removed, so the actual increase in the number of locations likely to be used by speed camera has gone up by a net 328). As well as the familiar Gatso vans, the Garda traffic corps is also being issued with 170 new radar 'guns' which are said to work better in poor weather, and have a longer detection range than the older equipment - up to 1,000 metres.
New handheld information devices
In addition to all of that, all 765 members of the roads policing unit will be getting new hand-held devices this week, which will allow them fast access to the details of a car and its owner, based on the numberplate. The device will tell the Guards whether or not the car is taxed and has its NCT cert, whether the driver has been issued with a ban and, more seriously, whether the driver is a known member of a criminal gang, has a warrant out for arrest, or has been previously involved in firearms offences.
Since the introduction of the current road safety programme in 2010, the Guards and the Gatso vans have issued 1.5-million speeding tickets, and the new moves to expand the network of speed traps is based on recent research into where accidents have been happening. The Guards have found 1,322 'zones' on our national road network which have a collision history which makes them suitable for stationing a speed trap. Of those, 52 per cent are on regional or rural roads and 29 per cent are on national primary routes.
Five per cent of roads account for 76 per cent of fatalities
While these zones make up only five per cent of the road network, they account for 76 per cent of road fatalities and 66 per cent of serious injuries. The new speed detection regime starts at 6am on Monday, the 17th of Feb. All of the new zones are available on the Garda website.
"Excessive or inappropriate speed is a significant contributory factor in road traffic collisions. Gardaí use a range of speed detection technology to reduce speed across Irish roads. A reduction in speed will lead to a reduction in the incidence of fatal and serious injuries and will improve road safety for all road-users" said a Garda spokesperson. "An Garda Síochána appeals to all road users, in particular motorists, to familiarise themselves with these sections of the road network.We also appeal to motorists to always drive at an appropriate speed, to reduce the likelihood of being involved in a fatal or serious collision."