Points hit only Irish drivers

More than 11,300 motorists holding foreign licences or no licences incurred penalty points in the 13 months of the penalty points…

More than 11,300 motorists holding foreign licences or no licences incurred penalty points in the 13 months of the penalty points system. This is out of a total of 82,057 drivers who received points in the same period, writes Michael McAleer, Motoring Editor.

According to the Department of Transport, which released figures on penalty points offences, holders of foreign licences make up the majority of those categorised as "no driver number" in the latest statistics. These include drivers from Northern Ireland and Britain, as well as those from EU and non-EU states.

The "no driver number" category is the second highest after the figure for Dublin in the numbers  incurring points and the number of offences committed between November 1st 2002 and December 1st 2003.

Out of 85,204 speed offences committed in the 13 months to December, 13 per cent or 11,213 were committed by those in the "no driver number" category.

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At present penalty points, while recorded in the statistics, cannot be applied to their licences. Tourists and non-national residents - including motorists from Northern Ireland - who do not hold Irish driving licences are immune from the points system as it only relates to motorists whose details are held on the National Driver Register.

European police forces are not exchanging information on penalties for motorists because no EU-wide penalty points system is in place. Part of the problem arises from the lack of a computerised system for penalty points here. A similar situation exists for Irish motorists when abroad.

In relation to penalty points for drivers with British licences, the Minister for Transport has said that the issue is being followed through the British-Irish Council. He said that Britain and Northern Ireland will have to introduce a "bilateral agreement" on their separate points systems before one can be put in place between the Republic and the North.

The latest statistics show that 82,057 motorists have incurred points in the 13 months since the scheme was introduced, with four motorists on 10 points and 33 on eight. Drivers receive a six-month driving ban if they get 12 points over three years.

Over 1,200 motorists have been received points for seatbelt offences since August 25th, when the offences were included in the penalty points system. Mr Brennan expressed disappointment with the findings in relation to seatbelts.

Meanwhile Garda figures show that in the first two weeks of the anti-drink driving campaign, 548 arrests were made, down one on the same period last year. In the North, the PSNI said yesterday it had detected 132 drink drivers as part of its Christmas campaign. This represents an increase of 16 on the figures for the same period last year.

The Minister confirmed that motorists will face new penalty points offences from early next year for careless driving, dangerous overtaking and the use of a mobile phone while driving. Careless driving offences will carry two penalty points, and five points if convicted in court, as will the offence of dangerous overtaking.

Mobile phone offences will carry a single penalty point and a fine, or three penalty points if convicted in court. The inclusion of the mobile phone offence into the penalty points system, however, may take several months, as it will require separate legislation.