Fines for speeding down 7% in year
Extra gardai now focusing on road safety measures
THE number of fines issued to speeding drivers by gardai dropped by 7% last year, figures have revealed.
However, just 79% of motorists caught breaking the limit in 2023 paid the penalty, while around 20,000 were issued with summons notices.
Justice Minister Helen Mcentee confirmed 154,009 fixed-charged notices for speeding were issued in 2023.
This was down 7% from the 165,701 recorded in 2022.
Around 25,375 of all of the speeding fines were issued to people across the six Dublin policing regions.
The number of tickets issued fell across all regions in the capital except for the DMR North Central Region area of the city.
That’s where tickets marginally from 2,479 to 2,505. Clare/tipperary had the next highest number of fines issued at 21,594.
This was up from 17,226 the previous year, an increase of 25%. An average-speed camera was rolled out on the M7 in April 2022 in Tipperary between junctions 26 and 27.
This was followed by the Meath/westmeath district with 12,304 fines and Louth/ Cavan/monaghan with 10,460.
Figures show the number of people who have been given fines has been decreasing steadily for years.
In 2019, there were 137,140 fixed-charge notices. This increased drastically to 181,263 in 2020 and fell to 179,851, 165,701 and 154,009 in 2021, 2022 and 2023 respectively.
In her parliamentary question response to Fianna Fail TD Michael Moynihan, Ms Mcentee also confirmed of 154,009 speeding fines issued in 2023, some 121,253 (79%) had been paid.
In 20,257 cases, a summons had been issued or was prepared.
Responding to Mr Moynihan’s quesincreased tion, Ms Mcentee said extra gardai are focusing on road safety following a rise in deaths last year.
A total of 184 people died in 173 fatal collisions in 2023, compared to 155 deaths in 149 crashes in 2022.
She said: “Road safety is a shared responsibility which this Government takes very seriously.
“We have all been shocked by the recent loss of life after many years of progress in making our roads safer.
“An Garda Siochana conducted an intensive Christmas road safety operation over from December 1– January 4, involving 8,199 checkpoints, 4,679 of which were for mandatory intoxicant testing.
“Officers arrested 818 people during this period on suspicion of driving under the influence of an intoxicant.”
The figures have emerged as the Government plans to make major changes to speed limits on Irish roads.