31 December 2012
162 people tragically lost their lives on Irish roads in 2012. This is 24 fewer fatalities compared to 186 deaths last year and 50 fewer deaths compared to 2010 when 212 people died on Irish roads. Records show that deaths have dropped to record low levels over the past six years. Figures for serious injuries sustained in crashes in 2012 are not yet available.
21 December 2012
Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar enacts Section 53(3) (c) of the 2010 Road Traffic Act placing the supply of data on penalty points to the insurance industry on a legal footing.
The new measure will give insurance companies reliable and up-to-date information from his Department's National Vehicle Driver File (NVDF) on serious offences which have incurred penalty points. Insurance companies already have access to the NVDF to verify the number of penalty points incurred by individual drivers.
17 December 2012
The Law Society of Ireland advertises copy of PARC’s “Finding Your Way” guide for victims of road traffic crashes in their December edition of the Law Society’s Gazette. They advise solicitors to obtain copies.
16 December 2012
After numerous Parliamentary Questions raised by Deputy Thomas Broughan arrangements are now put in place to train an additional 220 members of An Garda Siochana in evidential breath testing. Training courses are now taking place in the Medical Bureau of Road Safety. There are currently 64 evidential breath testing (intoxilyser) machines allocated by MBRS to Garda stations nationwide. Gardai have requested an additional 22 and the Garda authorities and the MBRS are now preparing for the roll out of the additional machines during 2013.
11 December 2012
The 2012 Road Traffic Bill will now include penalty points for learner drivers caught driving unaccompanied or without L plates. (Link to Irish Times article). These drivers will shortly face a sanction of two penalty points for each offence. For each offence the penalty is increased to four if the driver is convicted in court. The new Bill also halves from 12 to six the number of penalty points a learner driver can accumulate within a three year period before losing their licence.
The changes to the Penalty Points are as follows:
The Bill will allow a blood sample to be taken from an unconscious driver following a serious road traffic collision, and tested when they give their consent.
10 December 2012
PARC attended The Road Safety Authority (RSA) and An Garda Síochána Christmas and New Year Road Safety. Campaign today in collaboration with the National Spinal Injuries Unit in the Mater Hospital. The focus of this year’s campaign is serious injuries as a result of collisions as statistics showed that 19,681 people were seriously injured in crashes from 1996 to 2011. A total of 154 people have been killed in road crashes to date in 2012 compared to 174 deaths to the same date in 2011. This represents 20 fewer deaths this year compared to last. It represents 78 drivers, 23 pedestrians, 16 motorcyclists and 8 cyclists who have died on Irish roads to date this year.
Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar, Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan, Assistant Commissioner Gerry Philips, Mr Noel Brett, RSA and the Mater Hospital welcomed PARC’s guide for victims.
162 people tragically lost their lives on Irish roads in 2012. This is 24 fewer fatalities compared to 186 deaths last year and 50 fewer deaths compared to 2010 when 212 people died on Irish roads. Records show that deaths have dropped to record low levels over the past six years. Figures for serious injuries sustained in crashes in 2012 are not yet available.
21 December 2012
Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar enacts Section 53(3) (c) of the 2010 Road Traffic Act placing the supply of data on penalty points to the insurance industry on a legal footing.
The new measure will give insurance companies reliable and up-to-date information from his Department's National Vehicle Driver File (NVDF) on serious offences which have incurred penalty points. Insurance companies already have access to the NVDF to verify the number of penalty points incurred by individual drivers.
17 December 2012
The Law Society of Ireland advertises copy of PARC’s “Finding Your Way” guide for victims of road traffic crashes in their December edition of the Law Society’s Gazette. They advise solicitors to obtain copies.
16 December 2012
After numerous Parliamentary Questions raised by Deputy Thomas Broughan arrangements are now put in place to train an additional 220 members of An Garda Siochana in evidential breath testing. Training courses are now taking place in the Medical Bureau of Road Safety. There are currently 64 evidential breath testing (intoxilyser) machines allocated by MBRS to Garda stations nationwide. Gardai have requested an additional 22 and the Garda authorities and the MBRS are now preparing for the roll out of the additional machines during 2013.
11 December 2012
The 2012 Road Traffic Bill will now include penalty points for learner drivers caught driving unaccompanied or without L plates. (Link to Irish Times article). These drivers will shortly face a sanction of two penalty points for each offence. For each offence the penalty is increased to four if the driver is convicted in court. The new Bill also halves from 12 to six the number of penalty points a learner driver can accumulate within a three year period before losing their licence.
The changes to the Penalty Points are as follows:
- Learner drivers who are driving without a qualified driver will face penalty points for the first time with 2 penalty points applying (4 on conviction);
- Not displaying L or N plates will face penalty points for the first time, with 2 penalty points applying (4 on conviction);
- Penalty points for mobile phone use, including the new provision related to texting, will rise from 2 to 3 points (5 on conviction);
- Penalty points for speeding will rise from 2 to 3 points (5 on conviction) –contingent on the conclusion of the current review of speed limits;
- Penalty points for not wearing a seatbelt will rise from 2 to 3 points (5 on conviction).
The Bill will allow a blood sample to be taken from an unconscious driver following a serious road traffic collision, and tested when they give their consent.
10 December 2012
PARC attended The Road Safety Authority (RSA) and An Garda Síochána Christmas and New Year Road Safety. Campaign today in collaboration with the National Spinal Injuries Unit in the Mater Hospital. The focus of this year’s campaign is serious injuries as a result of collisions as statistics showed that 19,681 people were seriously injured in crashes from 1996 to 2011. A total of 154 people have been killed in road crashes to date in 2012 compared to 174 deaths to the same date in 2011. This represents 20 fewer deaths this year compared to last. It represents 78 drivers, 23 pedestrians, 16 motorcyclists and 8 cyclists who have died on Irish roads to date this year.
Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar, Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan, Assistant Commissioner Gerry Philips, Mr Noel Brett, RSA and the Mater Hospital welcomed PARC’s guide for victims.
Mary Day (Director of Nursing at Mater), Garda Assistant Commissioner Gerry Philips,
Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar and Noel Brett CEO, RSA with Susan Gray.
Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar and Noel Brett CEO, RSA with Susan Gray.
Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan with Susan Gray.
30 November 2012
The National Ambulance service collect and distribute copies of PARC’ s guide “Finding Your Way” to all stations nationally.
Deputy Tommy Broughan has warmly welcomed the publication of a new guide for victims of road traffic collisions and their families by the national road safety campaign group PARC – Promoting Awareness, Responsibility and Care on our roads.
Deputy Broughan said, “The outstanding leaders of PARC Ms. Susan Gray and Ms. Ann Fogarty launched this valuable guide “Finding Your Way – A Guide for Victims Following the Death or Serious Injury of a Loved one in a Road Traffic Collision” today at a ceremony to mark World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims. (Of course, earlier this week the Road Safety Authority confirmed the incredible figure that more than 23,000 people have been killed on Irish roads since records began in 1959).
“The guide provides the outline of steps involved in the professional Garda investigation of fatal and serious injury collisions and the legal proceedings which follow. These include the post mortem, inquest and legal proceedings which as PARC note can often be complex and confusing for bereaved families.
16 November 2012
Launch of PARC Road Safety Group's Guide
PARC launch “Finding Your Way – a guide for victims following the death or serious injury of a loved one in a road traffic collision” to mark World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims.
First of its kind in Ireland - The guide has arisen out of the pain, hurt, lack of information and confusion of those who have suffered greatly as a result of a road traffic collision in which they lost a loved one or been injured themselves. It is written with the intention of enabling those who come after us to benefit from our experience and it is our hope that it will empower families. It outlines the steps involved in the professional Garda investigation, Inquest, Post Mortem, Civil and Criminal Cases and provides links to further information. The victims in the criminal justice system in Ireland are very much excluded from the process and this guide will enable them to be as informed as they possibly can about the procedures. It will enable them to ask the right questions, to know their rights and who to go to for information. It gives the dead and the very seriously injured a voice and is dedicated to all those who lost their lives on our roads and to all those people whose lives have been devastated by road traffic collisions. Many bereaved families fundraised to make this booklet possible. A copy of this free guide is available on request from PARC Road Safety Group, PO Box 30, Carndonagh, Inishowen, Co. Donegal. It is also available on PARC’s new website www.parcroadsafety.ie
8 October 2012
PARC Chairperson Susan Gray attends the Road Safety Authority Annual Academic Lecture 2012: Medical Fitness to Drive. Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar intends to include provisions in a Road Traffic Bill being drafted by his Department to provide for the testing of unconscious drivers involved in a crash resulting in death or serious injury.
26 September 2012
Minister for Justice Alan Shatter replies to Parliamentary questions to confirm that the Courts Service has now communicated with the judiciary to facilitate an arrangement that defendants who appear before the court are requested in court to produce their driving licence and a copy thereof to the court registrar for the purpose of having the driving licence number recorded. Registrars have been requested to record whether or not the licence or a copy thereof was produced to the Court.
23 September 2012
Many agencies forwarding information to include in our guide for families affected by road traffic collisions. Our research is almost complete and we would like to thank all those who raised and /donated funds making this booklet possible. When finalized it will be dedicated to all those who have lost their lives and to all those whose lives have been devastated by road traffic crashes.
19 September 2012
Oireachtas Joint Committee on Transport Discussion.
PARC Chairperson Susan Gray attended the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Transport discussion on penalty points today. Deputy Timmy Dooley put forward a question on behalf of PARC – to introduce penalty points for learner drivers disobeying the learner permit laws. Mr Noel Brett CEO Road Safety Authority agreed and called for the introduction of penalty points for unaccompanied learner drivers or those who fail to display their L plates.
Penalty point review to target learner drivers - The Irish Times
3 August 2012
Transport Minister Leo Varadkar met with PARC members today following revelations that 54% of drivers involved in serious crashes are not being tested for alcohol. This is despite laws introduced on 1 June 2011 making alcohol testing mandatory following crashes where someone is injured or requires medical attention. He assures PARC that he will write to his cabinet colleague, Justice Minister Alan Shatter and the Garda Commissioner to ensure drivers involved in serious crashes are tested for alcohol. He will be seeking an assurance that the law is being enforced in full…. PARC’s issue of Learner drivers will be included in the penalty points system in the 2012 Road Traffic Bill being drafted. Learner drivers will receive points for driving unaccompanied/ without L plates.
2 August 2012
RTE SIX ONE News reveals alarming figures which emerged from the Department of Justice in response to a parliamentary question by Deputy Tommy Broughan on behalf of PARC. More than half of drivers involved in crashes where someone was killed or injured were not tested for their alcohol level in the second half of last year. This is despite mandatory alcohol testing being introduced last year for all drivers involved in all road crashes where someone has been killed or injured. 320 drivers were involved in such crashes between July and December 2011, but according to garda figures, 175 of them could not be tested.
107 drivers were involved in fatal crashes in that time and of those, 62 were not tested. Of 213 involved in a serious injury collision, 113 could not be tested.
July 2012
PARC send submission to the Road Safety Authority for the upcoming Road Safety Strategy 2013 - 2020.
12 July 2012
Minister for Justice Alan Shatter informs deputy Thomas Broughan that the Courts Service has confirmed that the necessary arrangements are now in place to ensure that summonses issued since 16 May 2012 include wording to advise persons charged with an offence under the Road Traffic Acts to bring their driving licence with them, together with a photocopy of the licence when they are attending court.
27 June 2012
Dail Topical Issue Debate
Deputy Thomas Broughan highlights PARC’s concerns in the Dail today “the inexplicable delay in bringing on stream the 22 extra intoxilysers that were requested by the Garda last October to facilitate the lower drink driving limits. Some 86 intoxilysers were deemed necessary but only 64 were installed. Can the Minister confirm when the 22 missing intoxilysers will be made available to the Garda by the Medical Bureau of Road Safety, having been tested and approved by the bureau in 2011? Why is it not standard procedure for the Department of Justice and Equality to facilitate the training of all Gardai in the use of intoxilysers, or at least to ensure there is a garda on every Garda roster, or in every Garda station, who is trained in the use of these devices? It is unacceptable that the budget of the Road Safety Authority, which is based in Ballina, has been subjected to serious cutbacks. High standards of road safety cannot be maintained if key monitoring, testing and enforcement agencies are not properly resourced”.
19 June 2012
PARC attend Road Safety Authority (RSA) workshop to discuss proposals for the Road Safety Strategy 2013-2020.
11 June 2012
RTE SIX ONE NEWS - PARC calls for learner drivers to be included in the review of the penalty points system. A review of the penalty points system has been published today by Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar. It proposes increasing penalty points for 11 offences, including those linked to speeding, using a mobile phone, and breaking a red light. PARC interviewed by RTE calls for learner drivers driving unaccompanied or failure to display L plates to be included in the system.
6 June 2012
PARC Road Safety Group’s application is accepted as members of the Global Alliance of NGOs for Road Safety.
4 June 2012
PARC Members and supporters take part in the Flora Dublin Mini Marathon in memory of those lost on our roads. Any funds raised in this event will be put towards PARC's guide for victims 'Finding Your Way ', to be published by PARC later in the year. We would like to thank those who are taking part, most sincerely.
12 May 2012
Bereaved family and friends hold fundraiser in Ashbourne in memory of their brother who lost his life in a road traffic collision and the proceeds were donated to PARC’s guide for victims following the death or serious injury of a loved one in a road traffic collision. We thank them most sincerely for supporting PARC.
6 May 2012
Garda Operation Learner Driver shows that 43% of learner permits holders drive unaccompanied. From 2 recent operations targeting Learner Drivers Garda found that a significant percentage of those are not abiding by the conditions of holding that permit. Of the 2200 drivers checked, 43% (946) were unaccompanied by a full licence holder, and 30% (660) were not displaying L plates.
16 April 2012
PARC members attend the Road Safety Authority’s conference on Recidivist Behaviour and Driver Rehabilitation in Dublin Castle today. Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar told the conference that the Government was considering legislation to widen the options available to judges and address the issue of drivers who repeatedly commit serious offences. International evidence showed extra sanctions, in addition to fines, disqualification or imprisonment, were required.
The proposals would see judges given the power to order a driver to resit their test, attend additional training, fit an alcolock – to prevent a vehicle starting if alcohol is detected in the driver’s breath – install a speed limiter or impose a curfew.
Varadkar said research suggested awareness courses could be considered for low-end speed offenders as an alternative to prosecution. Noel Brett, chief executive of the RSA, said the authority was planning to introduce three different types of training courses for drink, drug and dangerous driving. He said the RSA would license service providers to deliver the training.
The department is also considering legislative changes to target drug driving. The Medical Bureau of Road Safety is currently examining the efficacy of new drug testing equipment as part of a bid to improve the detection of motorists driving under the influence.
It is also considering a legal change that would see each drug given a level, above which a driver would be convicted if that drug was found in their system. Currently, prosecuting authorities must prove both the existence of a drug and that the drug caused impairment.
PARC spoke on the need to close the loophole whereby many drivers convicted in court are still not getting the points applied to their licence. Minister Varadkar assured us that he will be discussing this issue with the Minister for Justice Mr Alan Shatter shortly.
9 April 2012
PARC committee members meet with relevant agencies to discuss our research on producing a guide for families and victims of road traffic collisions.
30 March 2012
PARC submits application for membership to the Global Alliance of NGOs. We thank all those agencies and individuals who supplied very positive references for PARC and the work we do.
20 March 2012
PARC write to Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan again on the issue of fees being charged to bereaved families for basic information relating to their loved one’s death. We continue to call for an end to fees being charged to families who have lost loved ones in RTC's.
12 March 2012
Irish Times reports that the legislative change to close a loophole that allowed more than 100,000 drivers escape penalty points is not working. This is because the administrative work to provide for the change has not been completed five months after it was signed into law. Section 63 of the Road Traffic Act 2010 came into force on 28 October 2011 and requires a person appearing in court charged with a road traffic offence to bring their driving licence and a photocopy so penalty points can be applied to their licence on conviction.
However, the change in the law has had a negligible impact because the wording on the summons sheet has not been changed to include the requirement to bring the licence. Also, the Courts Service has yet to introduce IT changes to allow it record licence numbers and whether or not a licence was produced.
Since the new law was enacted in October 2011 just 1,368 penalty point records have been sent to the National Vehicle Driver File by the Courts Service.
This is totally unacceptable as some of the most dangerous drivers could avoid points by going to court and failing to produce their licence. More compliant drivers accepting their penalty points for lesser offences and thereby negating the need for a courtappearance, have a far greater likelihood of reaching the 12 points and losing their licence.
Loophole lets 85,000 drivers avoid points - The Irish Times
The Irish Times - Monday, March 12, 2012 ... Section 63 of the Road Traffic Act (2010) came into force in October and requires a person appearing in court ... [click link above to read more] 7 March 2012
PARC raises PQ to Minister for Justice Alan Shatter due to concerns that Section 63 of the 2010 Road Traffic Act is still not being enforced. He stated the following in his reply to Deputy Thomas Broughan:
“The primary purpose of section 63 of the Road Traffic Act 2010 is to ensure that the driving licence number of individual offenders is recorded to enable the application of appropriate penalty points to the licence on conviction by the court. I am informed that the Courts Service are making arrangements to have the wording on the summonses amended to inform those summoned to court that they must bring not only their driving licence but a copy of the licence to court to facilitate the recording of the driving licence number”.
Since new law enacted in October 2011, a total of 1,368 penalty points records forwarded from the Courts Service were entered in the NVDF.
February 2012
PARC is receiving very positive feedback from many agencies and individuals who are supporting us in our work in producing a guide for victims of road traffic collisions. We gratefully acknowledged the invaluable contribution from many including the Department of Transport, An Garda Siochana, Garda Siochana Ombudsman Commission, Mr. Noel Brett CEO, Road Safety Authority, Professor Denis Cusack, Medical Bureau of Road Safety, Dr. Brian Farrell, Dublin City and County Coroner, Dr. Declan Bedford, Specialist in Public Health Medicine and many others.
8 February 2012
The Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar has ordered a nationwide study by the National Roads Authority (NRA) and local councils to examine the speed limits on all Irish roads. Many speed limits are inappropriately low or inappropriately high. Many will be changed in the hope that it will reduce deaths and serious injuries on our roads.
24 January 2012
PARC raises parliamentary question through T.D. Tommy Broughan. Since the commencement of Section 63 of the Road Traffic Act, the number of drivers that have turned up to court without their driving licence and a copy of their licence which is now required under law, the action that has been taken against drivers who have not brought their licence to court for a road traffic offence as is specified under law and the number of drivers this has affected.
23 January 2012
PARC meeting with Medical Bureau of Road Safety to discuss our guide for families victims of Road Traffic Collisions.
18 January 2012
Irish Times highlight the fact that Garda have doubled the cost of supplying copies of investigation documents to relatives of a person killed in a road collision. Figures from the garda show it has collected €3.7 million in fees for copies of documents related to collisions over a seven-year period to the end of 2010. In 2010 €502,118 was paid in crash fees. These funds go directly into the Garda budget. PARC calls on Minister for Justice Alan Shatter to put in place a waiver on fee charges for relative of someone killed in a crash.
The National Ambulance service collect and distribute copies of PARC’ s guide “Finding Your Way” to all stations nationally.
- Dr Gerry Lane, Consultant in Emergency Medicine, Letterkenny Hospital welcomes PARC’s guide and requests copies for Emergency Departments.
Deputy Tommy Broughan has warmly welcomed the publication of a new guide for victims of road traffic collisions and their families by the national road safety campaign group PARC – Promoting Awareness, Responsibility and Care on our roads.
Deputy Broughan said, “The outstanding leaders of PARC Ms. Susan Gray and Ms. Ann Fogarty launched this valuable guide “Finding Your Way – A Guide for Victims Following the Death or Serious Injury of a Loved one in a Road Traffic Collision” today at a ceremony to mark World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims. (Of course, earlier this week the Road Safety Authority confirmed the incredible figure that more than 23,000 people have been killed on Irish roads since records began in 1959).
“The guide provides the outline of steps involved in the professional Garda investigation of fatal and serious injury collisions and the legal proceedings which follow. These include the post mortem, inquest and legal proceedings which as PARC note can often be complex and confusing for bereaved families.
16 November 2012
Launch of PARC Road Safety Group's Guide
PARC launch “Finding Your Way – a guide for victims following the death or serious injury of a loved one in a road traffic collision” to mark World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims.
First of its kind in Ireland - The guide has arisen out of the pain, hurt, lack of information and confusion of those who have suffered greatly as a result of a road traffic collision in which they lost a loved one or been injured themselves. It is written with the intention of enabling those who come after us to benefit from our experience and it is our hope that it will empower families. It outlines the steps involved in the professional Garda investigation, Inquest, Post Mortem, Civil and Criminal Cases and provides links to further information. The victims in the criminal justice system in Ireland are very much excluded from the process and this guide will enable them to be as informed as they possibly can about the procedures. It will enable them to ask the right questions, to know their rights and who to go to for information. It gives the dead and the very seriously injured a voice and is dedicated to all those who lost their lives on our roads and to all those people whose lives have been devastated by road traffic collisions. Many bereaved families fundraised to make this booklet possible. A copy of this free guide is available on request from PARC Road Safety Group, PO Box 30, Carndonagh, Inishowen, Co. Donegal. It is also available on PARC’s new website www.parcroadsafety.ie
8 October 2012
PARC Chairperson Susan Gray attends the Road Safety Authority Annual Academic Lecture 2012: Medical Fitness to Drive. Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar intends to include provisions in a Road Traffic Bill being drafted by his Department to provide for the testing of unconscious drivers involved in a crash resulting in death or serious injury.
26 September 2012
Minister for Justice Alan Shatter replies to Parliamentary questions to confirm that the Courts Service has now communicated with the judiciary to facilitate an arrangement that defendants who appear before the court are requested in court to produce their driving licence and a copy thereof to the court registrar for the purpose of having the driving licence number recorded. Registrars have been requested to record whether or not the licence or a copy thereof was produced to the Court.
23 September 2012
Many agencies forwarding information to include in our guide for families affected by road traffic collisions. Our research is almost complete and we would like to thank all those who raised and /donated funds making this booklet possible. When finalized it will be dedicated to all those who have lost their lives and to all those whose lives have been devastated by road traffic crashes.
19 September 2012
Oireachtas Joint Committee on Transport Discussion.
PARC Chairperson Susan Gray attended the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Transport discussion on penalty points today. Deputy Timmy Dooley put forward a question on behalf of PARC – to introduce penalty points for learner drivers disobeying the learner permit laws. Mr Noel Brett CEO Road Safety Authority agreed and called for the introduction of penalty points for unaccompanied learner drivers or those who fail to display their L plates.
Penalty point review to target learner drivers - The Irish Times
3 August 2012
Transport Minister Leo Varadkar met with PARC members today following revelations that 54% of drivers involved in serious crashes are not being tested for alcohol. This is despite laws introduced on 1 June 2011 making alcohol testing mandatory following crashes where someone is injured or requires medical attention. He assures PARC that he will write to his cabinet colleague, Justice Minister Alan Shatter and the Garda Commissioner to ensure drivers involved in serious crashes are tested for alcohol. He will be seeking an assurance that the law is being enforced in full…. PARC’s issue of Learner drivers will be included in the penalty points system in the 2012 Road Traffic Bill being drafted. Learner drivers will receive points for driving unaccompanied/ without L plates.
2 August 2012
RTE SIX ONE News reveals alarming figures which emerged from the Department of Justice in response to a parliamentary question by Deputy Tommy Broughan on behalf of PARC. More than half of drivers involved in crashes where someone was killed or injured were not tested for their alcohol level in the second half of last year. This is despite mandatory alcohol testing being introduced last year for all drivers involved in all road crashes where someone has been killed or injured. 320 drivers were involved in such crashes between July and December 2011, but according to garda figures, 175 of them could not be tested.
107 drivers were involved in fatal crashes in that time and of those, 62 were not tested. Of 213 involved in a serious injury collision, 113 could not be tested.
July 2012
PARC send submission to the Road Safety Authority for the upcoming Road Safety Strategy 2013 - 2020.
12 July 2012
Minister for Justice Alan Shatter informs deputy Thomas Broughan that the Courts Service has confirmed that the necessary arrangements are now in place to ensure that summonses issued since 16 May 2012 include wording to advise persons charged with an offence under the Road Traffic Acts to bring their driving licence with them, together with a photocopy of the licence when they are attending court.
27 June 2012
Dail Topical Issue Debate
Deputy Thomas Broughan highlights PARC’s concerns in the Dail today “the inexplicable delay in bringing on stream the 22 extra intoxilysers that were requested by the Garda last October to facilitate the lower drink driving limits. Some 86 intoxilysers were deemed necessary but only 64 were installed. Can the Minister confirm when the 22 missing intoxilysers will be made available to the Garda by the Medical Bureau of Road Safety, having been tested and approved by the bureau in 2011? Why is it not standard procedure for the Department of Justice and Equality to facilitate the training of all Gardai in the use of intoxilysers, or at least to ensure there is a garda on every Garda roster, or in every Garda station, who is trained in the use of these devices? It is unacceptable that the budget of the Road Safety Authority, which is based in Ballina, has been subjected to serious cutbacks. High standards of road safety cannot be maintained if key monitoring, testing and enforcement agencies are not properly resourced”.
19 June 2012
PARC attend Road Safety Authority (RSA) workshop to discuss proposals for the Road Safety Strategy 2013-2020.
11 June 2012
RTE SIX ONE NEWS - PARC calls for learner drivers to be included in the review of the penalty points system. A review of the penalty points system has been published today by Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar. It proposes increasing penalty points for 11 offences, including those linked to speeding, using a mobile phone, and breaking a red light. PARC interviewed by RTE calls for learner drivers driving unaccompanied or failure to display L plates to be included in the system.
6 June 2012
PARC Road Safety Group’s application is accepted as members of the Global Alliance of NGOs for Road Safety.
4 June 2012
PARC Members and supporters take part in the Flora Dublin Mini Marathon in memory of those lost on our roads. Any funds raised in this event will be put towards PARC's guide for victims 'Finding Your Way ', to be published by PARC later in the year. We would like to thank those who are taking part, most sincerely.
12 May 2012
Bereaved family and friends hold fundraiser in Ashbourne in memory of their brother who lost his life in a road traffic collision and the proceeds were donated to PARC’s guide for victims following the death or serious injury of a loved one in a road traffic collision. We thank them most sincerely for supporting PARC.
6 May 2012
Garda Operation Learner Driver shows that 43% of learner permits holders drive unaccompanied. From 2 recent operations targeting Learner Drivers Garda found that a significant percentage of those are not abiding by the conditions of holding that permit. Of the 2200 drivers checked, 43% (946) were unaccompanied by a full licence holder, and 30% (660) were not displaying L plates.
16 April 2012
PARC members attend the Road Safety Authority’s conference on Recidivist Behaviour and Driver Rehabilitation in Dublin Castle today. Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar told the conference that the Government was considering legislation to widen the options available to judges and address the issue of drivers who repeatedly commit serious offences. International evidence showed extra sanctions, in addition to fines, disqualification or imprisonment, were required.
The proposals would see judges given the power to order a driver to resit their test, attend additional training, fit an alcolock – to prevent a vehicle starting if alcohol is detected in the driver’s breath – install a speed limiter or impose a curfew.
Varadkar said research suggested awareness courses could be considered for low-end speed offenders as an alternative to prosecution. Noel Brett, chief executive of the RSA, said the authority was planning to introduce three different types of training courses for drink, drug and dangerous driving. He said the RSA would license service providers to deliver the training.
The department is also considering legislative changes to target drug driving. The Medical Bureau of Road Safety is currently examining the efficacy of new drug testing equipment as part of a bid to improve the detection of motorists driving under the influence.
It is also considering a legal change that would see each drug given a level, above which a driver would be convicted if that drug was found in their system. Currently, prosecuting authorities must prove both the existence of a drug and that the drug caused impairment.
PARC spoke on the need to close the loophole whereby many drivers convicted in court are still not getting the points applied to their licence. Minister Varadkar assured us that he will be discussing this issue with the Minister for Justice Mr Alan Shatter shortly.
9 April 2012
PARC committee members meet with relevant agencies to discuss our research on producing a guide for families and victims of road traffic collisions.
30 March 2012
PARC submits application for membership to the Global Alliance of NGOs. We thank all those agencies and individuals who supplied very positive references for PARC and the work we do.
20 March 2012
PARC write to Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan again on the issue of fees being charged to bereaved families for basic information relating to their loved one’s death. We continue to call for an end to fees being charged to families who have lost loved ones in RTC's.
12 March 2012
Irish Times reports that the legislative change to close a loophole that allowed more than 100,000 drivers escape penalty points is not working. This is because the administrative work to provide for the change has not been completed five months after it was signed into law. Section 63 of the Road Traffic Act 2010 came into force on 28 October 2011 and requires a person appearing in court charged with a road traffic offence to bring their driving licence and a photocopy so penalty points can be applied to their licence on conviction.
However, the change in the law has had a negligible impact because the wording on the summons sheet has not been changed to include the requirement to bring the licence. Also, the Courts Service has yet to introduce IT changes to allow it record licence numbers and whether or not a licence was produced.
Since the new law was enacted in October 2011 just 1,368 penalty point records have been sent to the National Vehicle Driver File by the Courts Service.
This is totally unacceptable as some of the most dangerous drivers could avoid points by going to court and failing to produce their licence. More compliant drivers accepting their penalty points for lesser offences and thereby negating the need for a courtappearance, have a far greater likelihood of reaching the 12 points and losing their licence.
Loophole lets 85,000 drivers avoid points - The Irish Times
The Irish Times - Monday, March 12, 2012 ... Section 63 of the Road Traffic Act (2010) came into force in October and requires a person appearing in court ... [click link above to read more] 7 March 2012
PARC raises PQ to Minister for Justice Alan Shatter due to concerns that Section 63 of the 2010 Road Traffic Act is still not being enforced. He stated the following in his reply to Deputy Thomas Broughan:
“The primary purpose of section 63 of the Road Traffic Act 2010 is to ensure that the driving licence number of individual offenders is recorded to enable the application of appropriate penalty points to the licence on conviction by the court. I am informed that the Courts Service are making arrangements to have the wording on the summonses amended to inform those summoned to court that they must bring not only their driving licence but a copy of the licence to court to facilitate the recording of the driving licence number”.
Since new law enacted in October 2011, a total of 1,368 penalty points records forwarded from the Courts Service were entered in the NVDF.
February 2012
PARC is receiving very positive feedback from many agencies and individuals who are supporting us in our work in producing a guide for victims of road traffic collisions. We gratefully acknowledged the invaluable contribution from many including the Department of Transport, An Garda Siochana, Garda Siochana Ombudsman Commission, Mr. Noel Brett CEO, Road Safety Authority, Professor Denis Cusack, Medical Bureau of Road Safety, Dr. Brian Farrell, Dublin City and County Coroner, Dr. Declan Bedford, Specialist in Public Health Medicine and many others.
8 February 2012
The Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar has ordered a nationwide study by the National Roads Authority (NRA) and local councils to examine the speed limits on all Irish roads. Many speed limits are inappropriately low or inappropriately high. Many will be changed in the hope that it will reduce deaths and serious injuries on our roads.
24 January 2012
PARC raises parliamentary question through T.D. Tommy Broughan. Since the commencement of Section 63 of the Road Traffic Act, the number of drivers that have turned up to court without their driving licence and a copy of their licence which is now required under law, the action that has been taken against drivers who have not brought their licence to court for a road traffic offence as is specified under law and the number of drivers this has affected.
23 January 2012
PARC meeting with Medical Bureau of Road Safety to discuss our guide for families victims of Road Traffic Collisions.
18 January 2012
Irish Times highlight the fact that Garda have doubled the cost of supplying copies of investigation documents to relatives of a person killed in a road collision. Figures from the garda show it has collected €3.7 million in fees for copies of documents related to collisions over a seven-year period to the end of 2010. In 2010 €502,118 was paid in crash fees. These funds go directly into the Garda budget. PARC calls on Minister for Justice Alan Shatter to put in place a waiver on fee charges for relative of someone killed in a crash.
