[Article] Road traffic offences come into effect

Victor

http://www.rte.ie/news/2006/0403/penaltypoints.html

31 new road traffic offences come into effect

03 April 2006 14:10
Penalty points for 31 new road traffic offences came into effect this morning.

The increase brings the number of offences that attract penalty points to 35.

New offences include dangerous overtaking, breaking the lights and driving on the hard shoulder of a motorway.

Failing to obey road signs and driving too close to a vehicle in front are some of the other offences that will attract fixed fines and penalty points.

http://www.breakingnews.ie/2006/04/03/story252227.html

Penalty-points expansion comes into force today
03/04/2006 - 07:48:32

Thirty-one more motoring offences are being incorporated into the penalty points scheme from today.

The new offences include illegal overtaking, breaking red lights and failing to obey stop signs, as well as driving in a bus lane or on the hard shoulder.

The Government and those working in road safety are hoping that the massive expansion of the scheme will alter driver behaviour and lead to a major reduction in the number of deaths on Ireland's roads every year.

Meanwhile, the standard parking fine is set to increase from €19 to €40 from today, while the fine for parking in a disabled spot is going up to €80.

Under a directive issued by the Department of Transport, motorists will also face a 50% increase in the fine if they fail to pay within 28 days and an automatic court appearance after a further 28 days.

http://home.eircom.net/content/irelandcom/breaking/7777380?view=Eircomnet

Road deaths exceed 100 as new system comes into force
From:ireland.com
Monday, 3rd April, 2006

Road deaths for the year climbed above 100 today as 31 new penalty point offences came into force.

A total of 102 people have been killed on Irish roads - four more than the same period last year.

The new penalty point offences, coupled with the planned introduction of random breath testing, is the Government's response to the increasing carnage.

The authorities also plan to introduce a ban on the use of mobile phones while driving and roll out a network of privately operated speed cameras.

Dangerous overtaking, breaking red lights and crossing a continuous white line are among a list of new offences that will attract fixed fines and penalty points from today.

A Garda computer system is due to be linked to the Courts Services shortly to ensure that the system becomes fully effective.

But road deaths have remained stubbornly high this year, having reached a four-year high in 2005.

Labour's Jan O'Sullivan claimed today the safety of school children was not being taken seriously enough under the new penalty points offences.

Ms O'Sullivan said: "Failure to obey a school warden is an extremely dangerous practice, putting the lives of countless children at risk. And yet it only gets a driver a single penalty point if they are caught.

"Pulling up too close to the car in front of you will get you two penalty points, but ignoring a school warden as they try to get children safely to school will only get you one.

"Failure to stop for a Garda also gets two points. Why do school wardens and school children not get the same protection? It doesn't make any sense," she said.

The imposition of a penalty point for the use of the right hand lane of a motorway by a bus or a heavy goods vehicle has angered hauliers.

Jimmy Quinn of the Irish Road Haulage Association said it was accepted road practice to move over into the right hand lane when traffic was entering a motorway from a slip road.

Mr Quinn said this rule removes any discretion from the driver and was not in force anywhere else in the European Union.

mackerski

Three articles, three (more) sloppy references to "new offences".

Dermot