More than 20 per cent of motorists caught using a mobile phone while driving have not been penalised as they did not have an Irish driving licence.
A total of 97,432 fixed charge notices were issued to people found using a mobile phone at the wheel on the State’s roads from when the offence was introduced in September 2006 to the end of last month, according to figures from the Road Safety Authority.
Under the Road Traffic Act 2006, motorists caught driving while holding a mobile phone are issued with a €60 fine and have two penalty points added to their driving licence.
A total of 20,494 penalty notices have been issued to people without an Irish driving licence, compared to the 19,746 notices issued to residents of Dublin in the same period.
Some 9,801 notices were issued to residents of Cork, followed by Kildare (4,451), Galway (3,999) and Meath (3,795). The fewest notices were issued to residents of Leitrim (365), Longford (601) and Monaghan (756).
The Road Safety Authority said it was working with authorities in Northern Ireland and Britain to develop a system of mutual recognition for penalty points and that it hoped a Europe wide mechanism could also be achieved.
The figures were released as the authority and An Garda Siochana appealed to motorists to take care on the roads over the bank holiday weekend.
Michael Rowand, Road Safety Authority director, said mobile phones were a major source of distraction, which was a factor in as many as 30 per cent of crashes.
He said motorists were four to five times more likely to be involved in a crash when they used a mobile phone while driving, but that one in five people still admitted to doing so.
Mr Rowand said people using hands-free kits or headsets while driving were also more likely to be involved in a collision. “They are legal but evidence tells us that they are equally as dangerous as your handheld mobile phone. So the message is never use your mobile phone while driving.”
Assistant Garda Commissioner John Twomey said members of the force would be on the look out for individuals using mobile phones, speeding and drink driving over the weekend.
