[Article] Gardai go hi-tech by roadside as penalty blitz begins

Drax

HAND-held computers to assist in the processing of penalty-point offences are being introduced at the roadside nationwide from today.

The computers will be used by members of the Garda national traffic corps to input information and streamline the process of sending out notices and penalising offenders.

Motorists guilty of speeding or seat belt offences will be handed two penalty points initially but these will be increased to four if they fight their cases in court.

Those caught for driving without insurance or careless driving face five penalty points.

The hand-held computers have been operational on a pilot basis in Louth-Meath, Dublin and Cork but are being extended throughout the State from this morning.

The strength of the traffic corps is being boosted by 60 additional gardai, bringing the overall total to 628 by the end of next month.

The figure will rise to 808 by the end of the year.

Eight extra unmarked garda cars are also being put on the roads to detect dangerous driving and other offences in the coming weeks while, from April, offenders will be able to pay their fines at post offices nationwide.

Payment through a post office was introduced initially in Drogheda, but the scheme will now be phased in at more than 900 post offices over the next three months.

Thirty-one other penalty-point offences will also be rolled out from April as the Garda pulse system becomes fully integrated with other computers involved in recording traffic details.

Meanwhile, confusion over random breath-testing was cleared up last night. Chief Supt John Farrelly, second-in-command of the traffic bureau, said it would not become operational until new legislation had been brought in by Transport Minister Martin Cullen later in the year.

In the meantime, gardai will continue to use existing powers which allow them to set up random checkpoints and stop motorists.

If gardai form the opinion that a motorist has been drinking, they can then ask the driver to use the breathalyser.

Chief Supt Farrelly said drink driving legislation faced more challenges in the court that any other laws.

"There is no point in jumping the gun. You have to get it right," the chief superintendent said.

Our man in Havana

I wonder if this will reduce the 2 month waiting period for speeding letters to be reduced to days? I suspect nothing new will change, except the Gardai making it easier on the suckers to pay up.