The Minister for Transport, Mr Brennan, is to extend the penalty point ssystem for motorists to seat belt offences, with effect from Monday next.
Under the proposed penalty, a driver who is detected committing a seat belt offence will have the option to pay a fixed charge of € 60 within 28 days, or € 90 if paid within 56 days, and incur two penalty points instead of going to court.
If a driver is convicted in court four penalty points will be endorsed on their driving licence. The driver will also be liable to a maximum fine of € 800 for a first offence.
Drivers whose passengers aged under 17 years who are not wearing a seat belt will incur two penalty points on their licence as well as the fine. This sanction will also apply in the case of children aged under four who are not suitably restrained.
This move brings to three the number of offences under which drivers may accumulate penalty points. It follows the introduction of penalty points for speeding and not having insurance.
Any driver who accumulates 12 penalty points at any time inside a three-year period will be automatically disqualified from driving for six months. When the penalty points system is fully computerised some 69 offences will incur penalty points.
Last year, the Garda Síochána made almost 55,000 detections for seat belt offences.
"It is vital that the road safety message of 'Belt-up' gets across to all motorists," said the Minister.
"Following consultation with my colleague the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform and the Garda Síochána this extension of the penalty points system is being introduced at this very appropriate time with children returning to school after the summer holidays and in many cases being driven to school in their parent's vehicles", he added. A survey of seat belt wearing rates, carried out by the National Roads Authority (NRA) in 2002 shows that the overall wearing rates (driver and front passenger) increased to 72 per cent in 2002 from 52 per cent in 1991. "While it is encouraging, the wearing rate is well below the level at which we would see significant road safety benefits", Minister Brennan said.
"The wearing rate for rear seat passengers, estimated at no more than 20 per cent was a source of particular concern", the Minister added, "especially as children are generally carried in rear seats."
