Galway drivers dodge penalty points on licences despite convictions

Most Galway drivers convicted in the courts of road traffic offences are evading penalty points, startling new figures reveal.

The Courts Service has confirmed to the Connacht Tribune that just 30% of drivers in Galway that were convicted of penalty points’ offences actually had those points recorded on their driving licences.

The Road Safety Authority’s advertising slogan is ‘get the point, not the points’ – but the figures show 70% of Galway motorists who didn’t get the point, didn’t get the points either.

The motorists are evading points because they are not bringing their driving licences to court with them on the day of conviction – meaning the points aren’t recorded on the licences.

A Courts Service spokesperson confirmed that motorists in court for penalty points’ offences are legally required to bring their licences with them on the day of their appearance.

“It’s an offence not to bring your licence to court,” he said. Since May 2012, the summonses to appear in court for the driving offence remind the defendant’s that they are required by law to bring their driving licences.

But the figures prove this is not happening, and show that just 122 of the 412 defendants in Galway’s District Courts who were convicted of penalty point offences actually had the points recorded on their licences. 

In other words just 30% of people in Galway who are supposed to get penalty points are actually getting them.

In the Roscommon/Galway courts district, which includes district courts in East Galway, the percentage actually having points recorded is worse.

Just 180 driving licences were recorded with points despite there being 675 motorists convicted of penalty point offences – just 27% of those supposed to be getting penalty points.

This anomaly, whereby motorists don’t bother bringing licences to court despite being required by law to do so, is the reason for the low percentages.

And it’s not just in Galway that it’s happening, the problem is widespread, according to the Court Service’s figures.

Nationally, a total of 60% of motorists convicted of penalty points offences aren’t having their licences recorded.

See full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune.