More penalty points, more penalty point offences

seamus

Actually very little to whinge about in this, though I had to laugh at commenters on breakingnews.ie who "just don't like Varadkar".

The below all now carry 2 points & a €60 fine. Fine goes up to €90 after 28 days, incur 4 points if you go to court.

- Driver of car or goods vehicle not wearing safety belt

- Driver permitting person under 17 years of age to occupy a seat when not wearing safety belt

- Driver of car or goods vehicle permitting child under 3 years of age to travel in it without being restrained by appropriate child restraint

- Driver of car or goods vehicle permitting child over 3 years of age to travel in it without being restrained by appropriate child restraint

- Driver of car or goods vehicle permitting child to be restrained by rearward facing child restraint fitted to a seat protected by active frontal air-bag

- Driver of bus not wearing safety belt


The below is probably of less relevance to people here, only comes with 1 point but a huge €200 fixed penalty, up to €300 after 28 days. 3 points on conviction.

- Using vehicle - (a) whose weight un-laden exceeds maximum permitted weight, (b) whose weight laden exceeds maximum permitted weight, or (c)any part of which transmits to ground greater weight than maximum permitted weight

As a commenter astutely noted - how does a Garda determine that a vehicle is over the maximum permitted weight at the roadside?

whippet

seamus wrote: »

As a commenter astutely noted - how does a Garda determine that a vehicle is over the maximum permitted weight at the roadside?

they will direct you to the nearest weigh-bridge and usually they would be correct in their assumption. An over laden vehicle is quite easy to spot

goz83

seamus wrote: »

As a commenter astutely noted - how does a Garda determine that a vehicle is over the maximum permitted weight at the roadside?

He doesn't. He must instruct the driver to accompany him/her to the nearest weighing station and the vehicle is then weighed.

goz83

Doh

Atomic Pineapple

Did some of these not already have points attached to them? Like not wearing a seat belt? If thats only a penalty point offense now then thats a bit of a joke!

-Corkie-

About time I am sick sh1t of seeing children unrestrained in vehicles and worse children sitting in the back of commercial jeeps.

Eoin

-Corkie- wrote: »

About time I am sick sh1t of seeing children unrestrained in vehicles and worse children sitting in the back of commercial jeeps.

It never ceases to amaze me. Even if I move my car a few metres for whatever reason, it feels weird not having a belt on. But not making sure a child is restrained? Just can't understand it.

goz83

OT...but does anyone like Varadkar? He just seems like the politician to hate. I can't put my finger on it, but every time I see/hear him, he irritates the fcuk out of me.

galwaytt

-Corkie- wrote: »

About time I am sick sh1t of seeing children unrestrained in vehicles and worse children sitting in the back of commercial jeeps.

...I still see people regularly carrying small children on their laps, in the front.........mind-bendingly stupid.

kirving

In Ireland, I can't get into a car without a seatbelt. I was in Thailand recently, and I'm still amazed by how easily I'd get into the back of a Hilux with half a dozen other travellers and bags. Stupid thing to do really, but over there it feels so normal.

The amount of kids jumping around the back of cars is ridiculous, should have been PP offences years ago.

Max_Charger

"Figures released last month by the Road Safety Authority showed 23 per cent of drivers killed and 29 per cent of passengers killed on the roads in the first half of 2012 were not wearing seatbelts."

The simplest way to protect yourself in a car and there are still people not doing it.

Milk & Honey

What about people who put a child in the boot? The guards won't see them unless they search the car for drugs.

Pebble on the Beach

Hope it makes some parents sit up and take notice, at last.

My 6 year old daughter went to a school friend's party last year and her friend's mum said I didn' t need to come back to collect my daughter as she would drive her home after the party. When I saw her pull into my drive I was shocked to see my daughter sitting in the front seat of the car with another child sharing the seat with her (I understand that the seatbelt had been pulled around both of them). There were also at least 4 kids travelling in the back (but possibly 5!).

I told her she shouldn't be carrying so many kids in the car and that I would have collected my daughter myself if I had known there was not going to be enough room. She told me that it was ok because "we live in the country" and she was "only going a few miles anyway"!!

Since then, I've been extra cautious but earlier this year I also became aware of a similar situation after my daughter's school sent out letters requesting parental help to transport some children to and from school to the local church (during school hours).

Grrrrrrrr!

Dartz

seamus wrote: »

- Using vehicle - (a) whose weight un-laden exceeds maximum permitted weight, (b) whose weight laden exceeds maximum permitted weight, or (c)any part of which transmits to ground greater weight than maximum permitted weight

As a commenter astutely noted - how does a Garda determine that a vehicle is over the maximum permitted weight at the roadside?

It's probably just in the case of gross and obvious overloading, like with parts of the undercarriage dragging on the ground, or backs of concrete and gravel in the back.

Or so full of booze coming back from France it couldn't even get up the ramp to get back on the ferry. (That was hairy)

Mycroft H

Wait, hold on a minute.

Before now a driver of a bug of LGV/HGV didn't have to wear a safety belt? wtf?

dr.fuzzenstein

You will now get:



ONE MILLION POINTS!!

adamski8

Max_Charger wrote: »

"Figures released last month by the Road Safety Authority showed 23 per cent of drivers killed and 29 per cent of passengers killed on the roads in the first half of 2012 were not wearing seatbelts."

The simplest way to protect yourself in a car and there are still people not doing it.

that figure kind of amazes me, it would be believable 20 years ago but people not putting on their seat belt these days are crazy, i guess there should be way more checks then.

-Corkie-

BX 19 wrote: »

Wait, hold on a minute.

Before now a driver of a bug of LGV/HGV didn't have to wear a safety belt? wtf?

No but a lot of truckers were of the opinion that they were exempt despite Gardai enforcement.

Guy:Incognito

-Corkie- wrote: »

About time I am sick sh1t of seeing children unrestrained in vehicles and worse children sitting in the back of commercial jeeps.

Kids havent been allowed to be unrestrained in cars for a long time. I doubt anythign will change.

-Corkie-

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

Kids havent been allowed to be unrestrained in cars for a long time. I doubt anythign will change.

I hate to say you are probably right. There is not enough Gardai about to enforce it, same with mobile phones every one has it up to the ear now.

Rich11

has the speeding point gone up from 2 to 3.............yet
not that time worried, have 6 atm, 2 going off next month, and 2 more early next year.............cant wait

Our man in Havana

Rich11 wrote: »

has the speeding point gone up from 2 to 3.............yet
not that time worried, have 6 atm, 2 going off next month, and 2 more early next year.............cant wait

Nope, it is still the same.