Learner drivers incur 11% of penalty points

More than 30,000 provisional drivers had incurred penalty points up to the end of October, accounting for almost 11 per cent of all offences where points could be applied to a motorist's licence.

The latest data shows that of the 356,038 total drivers penalised for road traffic offences, 74,356 could not have penalty points applied, because they do not have an Irish licence.

Almost 1,000 drivers a week are slipping through the penalty point net this way, the figures show. Out of the 1,013 drivers given penalty points for careless driving, 958 did not have an Irish licence.

Penalty points cannot be applied when it is not possible to identify the driver's licence number. This includes drivers from Northern Ireland, tourists, holders of other licences driving in the Republic and Irish citizens driving under a licence gained in Britain or another country.

These drivers are not getting penalty points, having committed some of the most serious driving offences, including speeding and driving without a seatbelt.

Over 63,000 motorists caught speeding have not had penalty points applied and 5,327 drivers caught driving without a seatbelt could not have penalty points applied.

Interestingly, seven of the 23 drivers given points for failing to stop for a garda did not have an Irish driving licence.

The vast majority of drivers have just two penalty points, with just over 50,000 drivers having four.

Only 7,158 drivers have six penalty points and just 1,453 have collected eight points. Some 293 drivers are on the edge of losing their licence with 10 points and 42 motorists are off the road having reached 12 points. The Department of Transport said last night "over 60 drivers in total" have lost their licence but that some have regained their licence following a six-month ban. The data covers 35 penalty point offences, but makes no reference to penalties for mobile phone use. The Garda Traffic Bureau has said roughly 1,000 drivers a week are receiving penalty points for this offence.

Cork has the highest number of drivers off the road at present, with 12 drivers in this category, followed by Dublin where 10 drivers are currently banned from driving after accumulating 12 points.

The Irish Timeshas also learned that the British Department of Transport is to carry out a feasibility study into the harmonisation of the penalty point regimes in Ireland, Northern Ireland and Britain.

The internal department memo says the study is being carried out using "the GB Department for Transport's in-house consultancy service to do the detailed work, reporting direct to a steering group of Irish, Northern Ireland and Great Britain officials.

"The study does not presuppose harmonising penalty point systems: we intend that it should take a realistic view of the prospects for doing so, and/or for any other degree of co-operation, particularly in respect of endorsable offences, and we hope (although we cannot at this stage presuppose) that it may give helpful pointers to practicable actions which might be taken by the two countries," the memo states.

The Minister for Transport, Martin Cullen, is strongly in favour of harmonising penalty point regimes within this region to remove the ability of up to 20 per cent of drivers committing road traffic offences avoiding having points endorsed on their licences. The Minister told The Irish Times that he hoped the UK study would be available by the middle of next year and that it would provide a blueprint for how to deal with the issue.

"Ireland is trying to move this issue forward and I raise it at almost every European Transport Ministers meeting I go to. The problem is that we have complex penalty points systems and totally different legal systems. Even within Britain there are a myriad of different legal systems," Mr Cullen said.

Main points

356,038 drivers have penalty points

74,356 drivers penalised do not have an Irish licence

958 out of 1,013 drivers penalised for careless driving do not have an Irish licence

363,710 penalty points issued for speeding

33,760 drivers caught not wearing seatbelt

14 drivers penalised for driving wrong way on roundabouts

12 Cork drivers off the road after collecting 12 points

50,247 drivers have 4 penalty points

649 drivers penalised for overtaking