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ACCORDING TO STATISTICS released to Sinn Féin TD Peadar Tóibín by the Road Safety Authority (RSA), commuter counties in and around Dublin have the highest amount of penalty points per head of population.
The penalty points system for driving offences was introduced here in October 2002. According to the RSA, the aim of the system was to “improve driver behaviour in Ireland and reduce the levels of death and serious injury on our roads”.
There are 63 offences that can incur penalty points, and having points on your licence is likely to increase the cost of insurance.
If you accumulate 12 penalty points over a three-year period, then you will be automatically disqualified from driving for six months.
So, today we’re asking you: Does the risk of penalty points affect your driving?
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Yeah, I always slow down when I see a speed camera because I don’t want to get points.
Any excuse for the insurance companies to screw us over.
@mcgoo:
Those insurance companies are really out to get us. They actually have the nerve to charge people who consistently break the motoring laws a higher premium. You would wonder why they do that
@mcgoo: Mine are pretty fair.
I have 3 points since last year (speeding on a motorway) and when it came to renewal I told them about it and they said “oh we only start loading if you have more than 4 points or a serious offence”. Seems about right, they will load repeat offenders and not punish a slip.
I know that some insurers offer a ‘no penalty point discount’, which amounts to loading, but I tend to avoid these insurers as they also tend to charge you 40-50 quid to change your details or put a named driver on your policy for a weekend.
@Nick Allen: to be fair to the insurance companies, as long as people can claim 15/20k for injuries that can’t be proved or disproved they’ve got their work cut out.
It seems very harsh.Especially in Dublin where the vans can appear anywhere and at anytime.They are a nuisance.I consider myself a safe driver but find myself constantly looking for speed limit signs to know what the limit is for that stretch if road to the detriment of my concentration on whats ahead of me.Its not safe for road users to be worrying about speed limits (and ridiculous 30km/h zones) and poxy speed vans at every turn.I am totally confused about the new extended 30km zones.
@mark kenny:
Speed van locations: http://garda.ie/Controller.aspx?Page=5590&Lang=1
@Dub_Right:
I drive a lot at night when the traffic is light.Do you realise how difficult and annoying it is to be creeping along the streets at a snails pace?Without a doubt it’s a money racket.A nice cash cow for the government.
@mark kenny: Purchase a Bicycle, easier to maintain a reasonable speed without penalty points…
@mark kenny: A lot of cars have a button on or beside the steering to limit your speed. I use mine. Or a speed limit display. What’s also good is a satellite navigation (that’s up to date) with posted speed limits and it’ll alert you if you’re above it.
@Dub_Right: the google map is incomplete as some of the road in the area marked 30 KPH are actually 50 KPH and 60 KPH such as St. John’s Road West – so,for example, the speed limit on the quays is 30 KPH in parts and 50 KPH in others and if you miss the transition you can find yourself in difficulty – actually knowing where they all are can be hard.
The Speed Van locations are fine but it does not cover areas where gardai use a mobile detecting device, such as on some exits from the M50.
That said of course one should be aware of and keep within the speed limit – the point I am making is that it is not always as easy as it sounds, particularly if other vehicles are travelling faster then you are (e.g. the 30 KPH limit on some M50 slip roads).
You’d have to be very unlucky to pick up penalty points…even around Dublin where we are supposed to have the highest number of Gardai…!
Speeding, driving in bus lanes, parking in cycle lanes, breaking lights, I see it happening everyday, yet there’s no one around to enforce the laws…
@Dub_Right: You were following them through the red lights on your pushbike no doubt
I’m fine with the points as a deterrent, but there should be a higher safety margin before you get it. I got a speed ticket and 3 points on where the M7 change to N7 near Kildare, I was going 3km/h other the speed limit, I was still decelerating from the 120km/h limit of the M7. Surly if you drive less then 5-10km/h over the speed limit it’is more of a distraction then driving dangerously, it’s more dangerous to constantly check the tachometer then driving a few km other the limit.
I think there should be a safe-zone in which you get the ticket but not the point.
Also a speed camera in that position? it’s more money grabbing then for safety reasons.
@Mattia Accinelli: Get a GPS app for your phone which will stay green if you’re within the speed limits.. it’s more accurate than the car’s speed clock which is usually around 3kph out…
@Mattia Accinelli: I don’t believe for a second you were done for being three over.
@Mattia Accinelli: I do agree on several points – the transition zones can be hard to adjust, particularly if there is a lot of traffic and slowing from 120 to 100 or 80 over a short period of time can make you a hazard to following traffic – so I think it is unfair to set out to catch people in these slowing down zones, if the drivers are actually slowing down.
But more importantly the fine and points system takes no cognisance of any hazard you may be creating – it seems to me that 1 point per 10 KM over the limit and a fixed amount per 10KM would be farer with the first 10KM normally ignored – this would mean that at 20 KM over the limit one would get 2 points and double the 10KM fine, 30 KM 3 points and treble the 10KM fine – but of course that might bring in less money.
The length of time that penalty points stay on your license is ridiculous.4 offences over a period of 3 years and you lose your license for 6 months.Absolutely ridiculous.
@Teddy:
Yeah, imagine having an increasing penalty for people who consistently break the law. Absolutely ridiculous!
@dick Allen,the penalty point system is set up to collect Revenue and allow insurance companys to fleece drivers.Most road fatalities aren’t caused by doing 85km in an 80km zone,
@Teddy: heres a radical idea: obey the rules of the road. If you can’t do that, get off the roads before you kill someone.
@jimmyjoe Wallace,so anyone with penalty points should get off the road before they kill someone.Calm down like a good chap,you seem very excitable,
@Teddy: It’s a limit not a target, just cos it’s a 80 zone doesn’t mean you have to do 80….
@dub right,was waiting for some idiot to roll out that chestnut,
@Teddy:
So what are you suggesting? Removing speed limits? Having no penalties for offenders? Do you not think speeding causes fatalities and do you not agree that speed should be enforced?
If you had the ability to actually understand all aspects of the issue you may see that reducing speeding on the roads saves lives and that penalties help to force people to reduce their speed. Not everything in life has the simplistic, feeling sorry for yourself reason as ‘they are out to fleece us’.
@nick Allen,I didn’t propose any of your suggestions.My point is that the term of 3 years is way too long.A few times being caught doing 5km over the limit and you’re off the road makes no sense,
@Teddy:
I do see your logic in that banning someone that just exceeds the speed limit 4 times in a three year period may seem a little harsh but there must be a threshold to which to ban people. If someone is on 6 or 9 points then they should be very aware of this and modify their driving accordingly.
Personally I have no points on my licence and yes I break the odd speed limit and maybe do a few other things which would incur points. However, if I do get points I am fairly confident that I would modify my driving to ensure I do not risk losing my licence.
@Teddy: Bit too mature and responsible for some people barely out of a pedal car i’d say… Watch your Learner permit disappear quickly…
Up until 3 months ago I had zero points,after 25 years driving.Passed the same speed van twice within an hour.Was doing 90km in a 100km zone.Unfortunately because I was towing a trailer I was given 2 fixed notices.I now have 6 points and am halfway to losing my license.
Oh dear, someone with 25years driving experience didn’t know the towing speed limit is 80kph even on a motorway….
@dub right,ha Ha,you had to google that didn’t you,the “even on a motorway”gave you away,Saddo.
@Teddy:
You were actually doing 90Km in an 80Km zone as you were towing a trailer. not in a 100 Km/h zone. There are very valid safety reasons the speed limit is reduced depending upon the vehicle been driven. Truck & bus drivers can’t claim the speed limit on a motorway is 120Km/k. It is the drivers responsibility to know the speed limit for the vehicle they are driving, If you managed the previous 25 years without any points then you should have no issue keeping hold of your licence for the next three years. Remember, the 3 years starts from the date you actually get the points on your licence and not the date you committed the offence.
@Teddy: Save you the problem as you seem to be clueless about vehicle speed limits, even after 25 years..
@Teddy: Seems like you wan’t the problems to go away because you keep getting caught out. Will the threat of now loosing your licence will that change your behavior ?
No. Drive on here in kerry, as u will be very unlucky to pick up points. I can’t remember the last check point I’ve met. If I was travelling up the country I’d be careful alright..
@George Murphy: There are quite a few speed vans round North Kerry. I passed at least five set out a different locations over the weekend.
@Jon: there are 63 offences which can occur penalty points, speed vans are for speeding only, these vans are parked in the same locations, so once u get to know the spots you can drive on.. Check points are needed to enforce the other 62 offences..
@George Murphy: typical Kerry answer,kerp going till you’re caught,not,i think I need to cop on,a and think of others on the road
@George Murphy: is the Company who has the contract not a Kerry Based Company why would you a quite Kerry person give points to themselves
Kerry v Kerry no way
It’s a cartel between the govt the insurance companies, and the speed contractor,
To rip as much revenue as possible
Don’t believe this manure they tell it’s for safety
We all know what’s really going on
@Thaddus T Sawballs: I grew up in Australia where they progressively became stricter with speed enforcement with cameras, radar guns, mobile radar guns in the police cars etc etc. We all said it was revenue raising too, just like you.
But people did slow down
People didn’t drive around on learners unaccompanied
Drink driving declined
It’s a pain in the bum alright, and I hate to say it, but it did work
There is simply not enough enforcement enough to change anybody’s behaviour.
All these offences attracting penalty points is pure tokenism by politicians pretending they are doing something to make themselves look good.
If driving behaviour is to change more gardai are needed to enforce these laws.
Then
And only then will driving behaviour change.
@Dave Harris: I tend to agree up to a point, there is education and enforcement. Maybe having to resit your test for certain offences would be better then points. I accept that points help as does enforcement, but penalty points should relate to dangerous offences, there is a danger that they get spread to very minor and even debatable actions.
At least we can look at drinking and driving and see how the culture has changed and people would not even think about driving at level that would have been legal some years ago.
I’d say Leinster Garda Checkpoints subscribers has jumped this morning.
Points don’t work , take a walk now you could issues nearly every driver with points.
Penalty points are a tool for insurance companies to inflate insurance premiums..i paid a fixed fee.and four years later I’m still paying to the insurance company..i believe that is wrong.
@Terry O’Callaghan: They base your premium on risk, if you are one to break the speed limits the you are a higher risk, seems logical enough.
Will that be a deterrent to any further speeding?
Considering I can’t afford a car because of out of control insurance ,no …no they don’t
Shouldn’t the answer options include, No – I don’t give a shit?
have your say