Written answers

Wednesday, 5 February 2014

Department of Justice and Equality

Road Traffic Offences

Photo of Tommy BroughanTommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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146. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 704 of 11 June 2013, if the report referred to in the reply is now to hand. [5810/14]

Photo of Alan ShatterAlan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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As I indicated in my previous response, I sought a report from the Garda authorities in relation to the Deputy's request to provide, in tabular form, the number of fixed penalty notices issued by members of An Garda Síochána to motorists in the years 2011, 2013 and to 11 June, 2013 in County Donegal including a breakdown of the various road traffic offences for which these notices were issued. I also sought a report from the Courts Service regarding the Deputy's request for the number of motorists convicted in court following the issue of a fixed penalty notice during this period in County Donegal, and a breakdown of these offences which did not result in a conviction in court; and the number of motorists who were not convicted in court but who instead made a donation to charity.

After examination of the detailed request, I am now informed by the Garda authorities that the total number of fixed charge notices, by road traffic offence type, issued in County Donegal for the years 2011, 2012 and up to 7 June 2013 is illustrated in Table 1.

Fixed charge notices are an alternative to prosecution and give the individual the opportunity to acknowledge the road traffic offence, pay the fixed charge, and where the offence is a penalty point offence, incur the appropriate penalty points. If the person does not pay the fixed charge, he or she will, in the normal course, be prosecuted for the alleged offence.

In that regard, Tables 2 - 6 set out information provided by the Courts Service in relation to road traffic offences committed in County Donegal during the period 2011, 2012 and 2013. In so far as road traffic offences committed in 2013 referred to in Tables 2 - 4 are concerned, the figures supplied refer to those instances which have resulted in a court outcome by end 2013. Where the defendant was summonsed to court more than once they appear only once in the information provided.

Table 1 : Total number of fixed charge notices issued in County Donegal in 2011, 2012 and up to 7 June, 2013

Road Traffic Offence Type
20112012to 7 June, 2013
Speed - Intercept634330125
Speed - Non-Intercept6,3465,230646
Tax / Registration1,5141,177468
Parking75226048
General Bye Laws607302146
General Road Offences587311105
Dangerous Driving

(s.51A RTA)
17211143
Insurance1174923
Intoxicated driving a vehicle85515
P.S.V. Regulations450
Construction / Use of Vehicles010
Lighting Regulations007
Total
10,7417,8311,626
Note: 'General Road Offences' category refers mainly to mobile phone offences and 'General Bye Laws' refers to a range of offences including seatbelt, traffic signs, red light and failure to failure to yield offences.

I am informed by the Courts Service that the number of people convicted in court in Count Donegal following the issue of a fixed penalty notice in respect of a road traffic offence, that did not require a mandatory court appearance, committed in the years 2011, 2012 and 2013 is set out in Table 2.

Table 2: The number of people convicted in court in County Donegal on foot of a fixed charge penalty notice in 2011, 2012 and 2013

Road Traffic Offence DateNo. of Defendants
Jan - Dec 2011211
Jan - Dec 2012165
Jan - Dec 201351
I am further informed by the Courts Service that the number of people who were not convicted in court in County Donegal in respect of road traffic offences committed in 2011, 2012 and 2013 and who made a donation to charity is set out in Table 3.

Table 3: The number of motorists not convicted in court in County Donegal who made a donation to Charity in 2011, 2012 and 2013

Road Traffic Offence DateNo. of Defendants
Jan - Dec 201175
Jan - Dec 2012105
Jan - Dec 201314

I am further advised that Table 4 below provides a detailed breakdown of the road traffic offences which did not result in a conviction in court in County Donegal in respect of road traffic offences committed in 2013.

Table 4 : Breakdown of road traffic offences which did not result in a conviction in court in County Donegal in respect of offences committed in 2013

Road Traffic

Offence
DismissDismiss

on

Probation
Strike

Out
Poor

Box
Strike

Out not

Served
Taken

Into

Consideration
Total
Adult Occupant Failing to Wear Safety Belt (Driver of Category M1 Vehicle) 121 1 1015
Adult Occupant Failing to Wear Safety Belt (Driver of Category N1 Vehicle)415
Adult Occupant Failing to Wear Safety Belt (Driver of Category N2 Vehicle)11
Crossing continuous white line - (Single)1113
Driver failing to Restrain Child of 3 years or more in a Child Restraint22
Driver failing to Restrain Child under 3 years in a Child Restraint22
Driving across/along a median strip11
Driving past a red traffic light213
Driving without reasonable consideration257
Table 4 (continued): Breakdown of road traffic offences which did not result in a conviction in court in County Donegal in respect of offences committed in 2013
Exceed built up are speed limit 50 km/h88
Exceed regional and local road Speed Limit 80 km/h5323141
Exceed regional and local Speed Limit 80 km/h224
Exceeding National Road Speed Limit 100km/h333137
Exceeding Special Speed Limit 100 km/h44
Exceeding special speed limit 60 km/h1682843
Failing to stop for Garda213
Failure to stop at Stop Sign11
General obligation regarding speeding11
Holding a mobile phone while driving11617
Total7422141492198
I am also advised that Table 5 provides a detailed breakdown of the road traffic offences which did not result in a conviction in court in County Donegal in respect of road traffic offences committed in 2012.

Table 5: Breakdown of road traffic offences which did not result in a conviction in court in County Donegal in respect of offences committed in 2012

Road Traffic

Offence
DismissDismiss

on

Probation
Strike

Out
Poor

Box
Strike

Out not

Served
Taken

Into

Consideration
Total
Adult Occupant Failing to Wear Safety Belt (Driver of Category M1 Vehicle)134
Crossing "broken" white line and causing danger11
Crossing a "broken" white line (in parallel with continuous white line)11
Crossing a continuous white line (in parallel with "broken" white line)11
Crossing continuous white line - (Double)11
Crossing continuous white line - (Single)66
Driving across/along a median strip33
Driving past a red traffic light123
Driving without reasonable consideration4111117
Entering "hatched markings" Area of Roadway11
Exceed built up area speed limit 50km/h112134873
Exceed Ordinary Speed Limit (General) (Certain Vehicles)1225
Exceed regional and local road speed limit 80km/h3686380
Table 5 (continued): Breakdown of road traffic offences which did not result in a conviction in court in County Donegal in respect of offences committed in 2012
Exceeding National Road Speed Limit 100km/h21311100126
Exceeding Special Speed Limit 50 km/h1281558102
Exceeding Special Speed Limit 100 km/h11
Exceeding Special Speed Limit 60 km/h733231109182
Exceeding Special Speed Limit 80 km/h224
Failing to stop for Garda112
Failing to Wear A Safety Belt (Driver)131418
Failure to stop at Stop Sign123
Holding a Mobile Phone While Driving571628
Overtaking/Attempting to overtake in a dangerous manner22
Permit person under 17 years occupy a forward facing front seat no child restraint11
Total146108904444666

I am further advised that Table 5 provides a detailed breakdown of the road traffic offences which did not result in a conviction in court in County Donegal in respect of road traffic offences committed in 2011.

Table 6: Breakdown of road traffic offences which did not result in a conviction in court in County Donegal in respect of offences committed in 2011

Road Traffic

Offence
DismissDismiss

on Probation
Strike

Out
Poor

Box
Strike

Out not

Served
Taken

Into Consideration
TOTAL
Crossing continuous white line - (Double)11
Crossing continuous white line - (Single)44
Driver Permitting Rear Seat Passenger Under 17yrs Not To Wear A Safety belt11
Driving across/along a median strip11
Driving past a red traffic light112
Driving without reasonable consideration1113
Exceed built up area speed limit 50 km/h1541323
Exceed regional and local road speed limit 80 km/h 1221116
Exceeding National Road Speed Limit 100km/h31331323
Exceeding Special Speed Limit 50 km/h1582640
Exceeding special speed limit 60 km/h2211764104
Table 6 (continued): Breakdown of road traffic offences which did not result in a conviction in court in County Donegal in 2011
Exceeding special speed limit 80 km/h11
Failing to stop for Garda112
Failing to Wear A Safety Belt (Driver)235
Failure to stop at stop line where both stop sign and line are provided11
Failure to stop at Stop Sign11
Holding a Mobile Phone While Driving15713
Permit person under 17 years occupy a forward facing front seat no child restraint11
TOTAL9345351491242

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