Gardaí dead serious as hearse driver fined for using mobile phone
Gardaí say they are 'dead serious' about stopping people using their mobile phones while driving.
To prove their point, Gardaí posted on Twitter about the driver of this hearse was stopped for using his mobile phone while driving. It did not say where in the country the hearse was stopped.
The driver told Gardaí his hands-free Bluetooth device wasn’t working at the time.
Gardaí added: "Make sure you #ArriveAlive.
"Gardaí are dead serious - put the phone down while driving”.
In the first two months of 2019, almost 5,000 drivers were detected by the Gardaí holding their mobile phone while driving, an increase of 24% in detections compared to the same period in 2018.
Road safety experts say that using your mobile phone when driving makes you four times more likely to crash.
Despite this, rational, intelligent people continue to text, make phone calls and check into their social media accounts.
The offence of holding a mobile phone while driving is the second-highest reason for a driver to receive penalty points, after speeding, and 81,199 penalty points notices for mobile phone usage were issued in the three-year period up to end of March 2019.
Motorists detected holding a mobile phone risk a fixed charge notice of €60 and three penalty points.
If you are a fully licensed driver and get 12 penalty points in a three year period you will be disqualified from driving for six months.
However, if you are a learner permit holder or novice driver and receive seven points in a three year period you will face a six months disqualification.