Motors News

An Oireachtas Committee has recommended doubling the existing amount of penalty points imposed on motorists caught using their mobile phone behind the wheel.

The dangers of using a mobile phone while driving have been well documented and the need to be aware of those dangers is the subject of a safety advertising campaign running on television at the moment.

According to a report in the Irish Times, following discussions with representatives from the AA, the Road Safety Authority and the Irish Insurance Federation, the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications recommended increasing the amount of penalty points for using a phone while driving having concluded that the “use of mobile phones is viewed as particularly dangerous by road users and accordingly, the Committee supports the recommended four penalty points for the offence”.

There were also calls to review a number of speed limits on roads around the country, particularly on rural roads with an 80 kilometre per hour speed limit, while it was also suggested that the time limit for penalty points imposed for minor speeding offences may be reduced to two years.

The recommendation on mobile phones is set to have the biggest impact, however, and the severity of the punishment should ensure that the majority of motorists resist the temptation for using their phone behind the wheel.

Granted, the video below might not have taken place in Ireland and the production values are a little cheesy, but it is a warning as to what can happen when a driver gets distracted behind the wheel.