This article is from page 6 of the 2006-01-31 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 6 JPG
TWO Clare drivers are on the verge of being banned from driving, after receiving 10 penalty points.
One more offence will result in them receiving two more penalty points. Twelve points will merit a three-month disqualification.
More than 5,000 drivers in Clare have received penalty points, according to figures obtained by The Clare People .
Some 4,991 drivers have two points, 688 have four points, 118 have six points, while 20 have eight points.
Since the system was first introduced over three years ago, penalty points have been dished out to drivers who have been caught speeding, careless driving, driving without insurance or failure to wear seatbelts.
Last week, the Minister for Transport, Martin Cullen, added another 31 offences to this list, which will come into effect on April 1. These include failing to obey stop/yield signs, illegal overtaking, failure to obey traffic lights and driving on the hard shoulder. There are plans to introduce up to 20 additional offences to this list by the end of the year.
A new hand-held computer system will come into effect, to coincide with the new scheme. Gardaí will carry the computers, which are the size of walkie talkies.
It means that gardaí will not be issuing on-the-spot tickets for 30 of the 35 penalty point offences.
Instead, fixed charge notices will be issued in the post, under the Fixed Charge Processing System (FCPS).
“Instead of writing down your name and address in a notebook, the details will be typed in the computer and will be transferred immediately, electronically, to Dublin,” said Sgt Joe Downey.
“You will not be issued with a ticket . . . instead, a notice will come out in the post, directly from Dublin,” he said.
“This is not a revenue collection exercise. It is about changing driver behaviour. Initially there will be a time factor in that it will take a little bit longer than writing in a notebook. It will free up the administration section,” he said.
By the end of March, it is anticipated that payment of fixed charge fines will be made through post offices, instead of at Garda stations, as has been the case in the past.
Drivers under the age of 18 who commit offences will not receive summonses and will be dealt with under the Garda Juvenile Diversion Programme.