Meath's drivers rack up 22,000 penalty points in five years

MEATH drivers have accumulated 22,000 penalty points since the system was first introduced in 2002, according to new figures from the Department of Transport.

The figure was described as "high" by Transport Minister and Trim TD Noel Dempsey who has called on drivers in Meath to make 2008 the safest ever year on roads in the county. 

"Changing long-established and dangerous driver habits is difficult but it must be done. The penalty points accumulated by Meath drivers to date is high and it needs to fall," he said, adding that all drivers need to take responsibility for their driving habits.

2007 saw the lowest number of road deaths in Ireland since records began. Figures compiled by this newspaper indicate that a total of 12 people - motorists and pedestrians - died on the roads in Meath last year.

"We have seen deaths drop by almost one-third in the last 10 years, despite the fact that there has been a 40 per cent increase in the number of drivers and a 70 per cent increase in the number of vehicles on our roads," said the minister.

He said that Irish roads were getting safer but warned that people must never become complacent.

"Every life lost on our roads is tragic and avoidable. I want drivers in Meath to make a concerted effort this year to avoid penalty points and to drive with special care. Lives depend on it," he said.

"Road safety has become a very big issue for the people of County Meath in recent times. Most drivers are now more conscious of the need to drive with care and to avoid risking lives. But for a minority, that message is not getting through. To those drivers the message is clear - if you break the law and drive recklessly you will be caught - don't to it."

Minister Dempsey said Garda enforcement is at its highest ever level and penalty point enforcement will continue in 2008 in an effort to save lives on the country's roads.

The roll-out of the penalty points system was commenced in October 2002 in respect of speeding offences. It was extended in 2003 to cover driving without insurance and safety belt offences and extended further in 2004 in respect of the offence of careless driving.

The range of penalty point offences was significantly extended from April 2006 with the addition of 31 new offences and the most recent extension was in September 2006 to bring the offence of holding a mobile phone while driving within the ambit of the system.

The total number of offences to which the penalty point system now applies is 36.