New Road Traffic Act

fear the reaper

Does anyone know if the new rule regarding mobile phone use while driving only concerns actually having the phone in your hand? I have a bluetooth headset so am I ok or is it mobile use in general that they are on about?

\m/_(>_<)_\m/

i think you might be ok...not sure though....

its all a load of bollox...new laws and nobody to enforce them

Henry Ford III

It refers to hand held mobiles afaik.

If you think about it a bluetooth headset (voice dialling and voice answering) is no more of a distraction than using a fixed car kit.

...and less of a distraction than eating, reading a map/newspaper, shaving, applying makeup, smoking, drinking, fixing hair.

Henry Ford III

Indo..

DRIVERS leaving pubs face random breath tests by gardai, starting tonight.

They will be checked for drink driving . . . even if they have not consumed alcohol.

And motorists caught using hand-held mobile phones will be prosecuted and face fines of up to €2,000.

Garda Commissioner Noel Conroy revealed that gardai will begin mounting checkpoints outside pubs all over the country from midnight tonight.

The blitz on pubs will be carried out by officers from the Garda Traffic Corps along with local gardai nationwide.

Officers armed with breathalyser kits will be able to test motorists as they leave pub car parks to establish if they are drink driving.

"You would be very foolish to drink and drive," said Mr Conroy. "There will be checkpoints at pubs."

Drink drivers face between three months and four years off the road and those refusing breathalysers will get a two-year ban.

Junior Justice Minister Frank Fahey yesterday said gardai are also to target night driving. Gardai had now adopted a "night rider" policy in response to alarming road casualty levels in the hours of darkness, he added.

Gardai will no longer have to first form an opinion that a person is intoxicated to test them for drink driving. They can now stop any motorist, anytime, anywhere.

The measure dramatically cut road deaths in Australia where police lined up cars and checked their drivers before taking away those above the legal limit to so-called "booze buses".

Use of a mobile phone while driving is also to be banned from midnight and gardai will start prosecuting drivers for this offence. And in the autumn, the offence will incur two penalty points.

The Government has defined "holding a mobile phone" as holding it by hand or supporting it with some other part of the body. This means that cradling a mobile phone in the nook of the neck and shoulder is also an offence from tonight.

"Bluetooth" and other hands-free devices are exempted from the ban.

Drivers can only use a hand-held mobile phone behind the wheel if they are contacting the emergency services on the 999 or 112 telephone line in a genuine situation.

The tough new powers come into force as it emerged that one-in-four drivers being caught for drink driving are foreign nationals living here, mainly East Europeans.

A total of 100,000 drivers have got penalty points and fines - 50,000 for speeding - since 31 new offences were added on April 2, added the Commissioner.

Mr Conroy dismissed growing criticism that gardai were not mounting adequate, highly visible enforcement needed to reduce the carnage.

Yesterday's move also clears the way for the Department of Justice to tender for a private company to introduce up to 600 speed cameras.

sutty

I think everything but the privet speed cameras are great and long past due. Eps the mobile phones. The amount of times I have nearly been killed on the bike from someone on their mobile and not seeing me, is a joke.

But all that said. The above post left out. That the gardi will have a say in the positioning of the speed cameras from what I heard on the radio last night. Could be true. Can anyone confirm this?

overdriver

Private speedcams are a disgrace. There will be no leeway whatsoever.You will find them just outside every village in Ireland, and be prepared for them to be set very low.

AFS

Private speed cameras are a joke. If they are serious about slowing people down and saving lives rather than creating revenue then the cameras should be painted flourescent yellow so everyone can see them and slow the hell down. This idea of "hiding" cameras on the edge of one speed zone leading into a much slower one is just for making money. Put 600 speed cameras up by all means but make them visible and dont for Gods sake privatise them or it'll cos more carnage than it stops.

Villain

It says a fine of up to €2000 for using a mobile phone, whats the on the spot fine??

R.O.R

irish1 wrote:

It says a fine of up to €2000 for using a mobile phone, whats the on the spot fine??

From what I can gather their will be no on the spot fine. I queried the points implication of this to the National Safety Council - here is the response I got from Brian Farrell in the NSC.

"In answer to your query no new penalty point offences come into effect from midnight tonight.


I presume you are making reference to the ban on mobile phones which does come into effect tonight. From this time it will be an offence to use a hand held mobile phone. On detection a driver is liable to a court appearance and a fine of up to euro2,000.

As you will see from the Department of Transport press release below and also available to download from their website (http://www.transport.ie/roads/presscentre/press_releases/2006.asp?lang=ENG&loc=1889) from the Autumn, the offence will attract 2 penalty points on payment of a fixed charge and 4 penalty points on conviction. In addition, a person could face a maximum fine of €2,000 on conviction.

When it does become a penalty point offence we will certainly add this information to the penalty points website."


I have further queried what exactly is allowed in regards to using a phone, or other handheld communication devices, but surprise, surprise haven't had an answer back yet.

Villain

Holding a mobile phone by hand whether it is powered on or not is an offence, the act also states that using other part of your body to hold the phone is also an offence including between your neck and shoulder. So there is no penalty points at the moment!