By Michael Brennan, Political Correspondent
Drivers will get penalty points for using their smartphones under new laws to reduce road deaths.
And in a significant shift, lorry and bus drivers will have to be tested for alcohol and drug use by their own employers.
The measures are included in the new Road Traffic Bill being introduced by Transport Minister Paschal Donohoe.
Drivers who are caught scrolling on their smartphones while driving will be hit with three penalty points.
It is aimed at putting an end to drivers flipping through Twitter and Facebook feeds or fiddling with GPS systems on their smartphones. It is seen as another cause of distraction which can increase the risk of a driver being involved in a crash. The penalty points will also apply to those who are using tablets, such as the Ipad, while driving.
Under the current law, drivers can get three penalty points for holding a mobile phone. It has also been illegal to text or email on a hands free device while driving since last year, but this attracts a fine of up to €1,000 rather than penalty points. But the law does not cover the many other uses of a smartphone which can distract drivers while driving.
A Department of Transport spokeswoman said it was important that the law kept up with advances in technology to protect all road users.
“Broadening the legislation in this way will clearly outline to drivers what they can and can’t do, making sure that those who flout the law are penalised for their actions,” she said.
The new law is still expected to allow for drivers to press a button to answer or end a call on a smartphone. Such a motion is similar to a driver changing the channel on their radio, which is legally permitted.
The Public Against Road Carnage (PARC) group have welcomed the move, saying it had raised the issue with the Department of Transport. Its spokeswoman Susan Gray said she was delighted that the use of a smartphone would be a penalty point offence.
“Penalty points are the greatest deterrent to breaking the law but we must ensure that the drivers actually get the points due to them if they take their case to court,” she said.
It has been difficult for Gardai to prove that motorists have been texting on a hands-free device, with not a single prosecution taken in court so far for this offence. But penalty points are expected to be a far more effective deterrent than fines. Motorists will now have the option of admitting responsibility by taking their penalty points - or trying to challenge them by going to court.
However, concerns have been expressed about the proposed requirement for lorry and bus drivers to be tested for alcohol and drug use by their own employers. The department has suggested that two such tests could be carried out per year to act as a deterrent effect.
Fine Gael TD John O’Mahony, who is the chair of the Oireachtas Transport Committee, said it could impose an additional burden on employers.
“This needs to be looked with very closely before it’s put into any legislation,” he said.
Independent TD Michael Fitzmaurice, who is also a member of the committee, has raised questions about the prospect of a husband-and-wife team working together in a haulage or bus firm having to organise testing of each other. The Department of Transport has said that it has the backing of the employers group IBEC and CIE, which is responsible for Dublin Bus and Bus Eireann drivers.
The Oireachtas Transport Committee is due to hold more hearings on the bill in the coming weeks.
Drivers will get penalty points for using their smartphones under new laws to reduce road deaths.
And in a significant shift, lorry and bus drivers will have to be tested for alcohol and drug use by their own employers.
The measures are included in the new Road Traffic Bill being introduced by Transport Minister Paschal Donohoe.
Drivers who are caught scrolling on their smartphones while driving will be hit with three penalty points.
It is aimed at putting an end to drivers flipping through Twitter and Facebook feeds or fiddling with GPS systems on their smartphones. It is seen as another cause of distraction which can increase the risk of a driver being involved in a crash. The penalty points will also apply to those who are using tablets, such as the Ipad, while driving.
Under the current law, drivers can get three penalty points for holding a mobile phone. It has also been illegal to text or email on a hands free device while driving since last year, but this attracts a fine of up to €1,000 rather than penalty points. But the law does not cover the many other uses of a smartphone which can distract drivers while driving.
A Department of Transport spokeswoman said it was important that the law kept up with advances in technology to protect all road users.
“Broadening the legislation in this way will clearly outline to drivers what they can and can’t do, making sure that those who flout the law are penalised for their actions,” she said.
The new law is still expected to allow for drivers to press a button to answer or end a call on a smartphone. Such a motion is similar to a driver changing the channel on their radio, which is legally permitted.
The Public Against Road Carnage (PARC) group have welcomed the move, saying it had raised the issue with the Department of Transport. Its spokeswoman Susan Gray said she was delighted that the use of a smartphone would be a penalty point offence.
“Penalty points are the greatest deterrent to breaking the law but we must ensure that the drivers actually get the points due to them if they take their case to court,” she said.
It has been difficult for Gardai to prove that motorists have been texting on a hands-free device, with not a single prosecution taken in court so far for this offence. But penalty points are expected to be a far more effective deterrent than fines. Motorists will now have the option of admitting responsibility by taking their penalty points - or trying to challenge them by going to court.
However, concerns have been expressed about the proposed requirement for lorry and bus drivers to be tested for alcohol and drug use by their own employers. The department has suggested that two such tests could be carried out per year to act as a deterrent effect.
Fine Gael TD John O’Mahony, who is the chair of the Oireachtas Transport Committee, said it could impose an additional burden on employers.
“This needs to be looked with very closely before it’s put into any legislation,” he said.
Independent TD Michael Fitzmaurice, who is also a member of the committee, has raised questions about the prospect of a husband-and-wife team working together in a haulage or bus firm having to organise testing of each other. The Department of Transport has said that it has the backing of the employers group IBEC and CIE, which is responsible for Dublin Bus and Bus Eireann drivers.
The Oireachtas Transport Committee is due to hold more hearings on the bill in the coming weeks.
