Penalties for 57,000 but no driver yet disqualified

More than 57,000 drivers have been issued with penalty points since the scheme was introduced last November, but no-one has yet received enough points to be disqualified from driving.

The figures for the first 11 months of the scheme, released yesterday, show that while 59,712 penalty points notifications were issued to the end of September, only one driver, based in Dublin, has received 10 points and is two points away from being disqualified for six months.

Under the system, drivers who reach 12 points are automatically disqualified for six months.

Ten drivers have accumulated eight points, 106 have six points, while 1,949 have received four points.

The number of motorists getting points rose significantly in September.

Just over 46,000 people had received points up to the end of August.

Releasing the figures yesterday, the Minister for Transport, Mr Brennan, warned "persistent offenders" against sliding back to bad habits.

"There are some drivers who may have the misguided view that they can settle into a comfort zone of say four or six penalty points.

"That would be a mistake. When the full roll out of more than 60 penalty point offences takes place next year, they could very quickly find themselves off the road the six months."

Although penalty points for the non-wearing of seat-belts have been included in the system for more than a month, the current figures only relate to speeding offences.

Motorists have been stopped for non-wearing of belts, but have yet to get notification of their offence, the Department of Transport said.

Ninety-six per cent of offenders had earned just two penalty points, indicating, Mr Brennan said, that the imposition of points was having a positive effect.

The number of people killed on the roads last month was the lowest for any September since 1968, when records began.

Eighteen people died in car accidents this September - half the number killed during the same period last year. The number of road deaths since the start of the penalty points system is 297, compared to 378 for the same time last year.

"Since the introduction 11 months ago, there has been a noticeable and very welcome change in driver behaviour," the Minister said. He noted that serious injuries are down more than 20 per cent, spinal injuries have dropped 50 per cent while there are at least 20 per cent less insurance claims.

"People are slowing down. We see it on the roads every day. The overall figures are encouraging. But it remains a daily battle to keep getting the message across," Mr Brennan said.