Skip to main content

FTA Ireland wants tougher roadside enforcement to match new traffic laws

FTA Ireland has said it would like to see the proposed new traffic laws matched with an increased resource for roadside enforcement by the Gardai. The response from FTAI followed the announcement of the Road Traffic No.2 Act 2013, introduced to improve safety levels on Irish roads, outlined by Minister for Transport, Tourism & Sport Leo Varadkar earlier this week. The new traffic laws will include roadside impairment tests for drug driving; higher penalty points for speeding, mobile phone use and not we
February 21, 2014 Read time: 2 mins
FTA Ireland has said it would like to see the proposed new traffic laws matched with an increased resource for roadside enforcement by the Gardai.

The response from FTAI followed the announcement of the Road Traffic No.2 Act 2013, introduced to improve safety levels on Irish roads, outlined by Minister for Transport, Tourism & Sport Leo Varadkar earlier this week.  The new traffic laws will include roadside impairment tests for drug driving; higher penalty points for speeding, mobile phone use and not wearing seatbelts; and allows unconscious drivers to be tested.

“This Act focuses predominantly on the human factors in road safety by strengthening and extending the law in key areas. This includes a new category of novice driving licenses, higher penalty points in key areas, and the testing of unconscious drivers for intoxication,” Minister Varadkar said.

Neil McDonnell General Manager, FTA Ireland commented: “There is no doubt that these new traffic laws will improve road safety levels on Irish roads, but FTA Ireland would like to also see that the measures should be matched with an increased resource for roadside enforcement by Gardai.  We also believe that enforcement should go further and therefore, legislation must ensure severe penalties for drivers who fail to bring their driving licence to court- thereby avoiding the fixing of points to their licences.”

Related Content

  • Report highlights community impact of new mobility options
    March 29, 2018
    Local authorities and communities must understand the impacts of the new mobility options and regulate to get the transport systems they want, according to a new report. Colin Sowman takes a look. Outside of the big cities plagued with congestion, the existing transportation system(s) often cope adequately, and the ongoing workload (maintenance, safety…) is more than enough to keep local transport authorities busy. Is it, therefore, a good use of public service employees’ time to keep abreast of the raft
  • Truck driver with foot on dashboard is among 4,000 drivers caught by unmarked HGV Cab
    November 7, 2017
    Highways England has released footage of a truck driver checking his phone while his right foot was on the dashboard. Spotted by Humberside Police, the driver was travelling from the M18 onto the M62 near Goole and is one of 4000 dangerous drivers on UK roads caught by a single unmarked HGV cab over a two year period. Another driver was pulled over by Devon and Cornwall Police and was found to have sent 10 replies to 10 texts within one hour and a driver in Surrey was seen trying to put toothpaste on a to
  • Report highlights community impact of new mobility options
    March 29, 2018
    Local authorities and communities must understand the impacts of the new mobility options and regulate to get the transport systems they want, according to a new report. Colin Sowman takes a look. Outside of the big cities plagued with congestion, the existing transportation system(s) often cope adequately, and the ongoing workload (maintenance, safety…) is more than enough to keep local transport authorities busy. Is it, therefore, a good use of public service employees’ time to keep abreast of the raft
  • ITSA & IBTTA applaud Infrastructure Act
    November 11, 2021
    $1 trillion legislation is hailed as 'essential step' in modernising US roads and bridges