Penalty Points for Mobile Phone Use While Driving

The Irish government is planning to introduce legislation in the coming weeks that will ensure drivers are hit with penalty points for driving while using a mobile phone.

The legislation, which will be included in the forthcoming Road Safety Bill in three weeks, will see drivers receive two penalty points for using a mobile phone while driving.

At the moment, it is not illegal to drive while using a mobile phone, although Gardai can prosecute if they believe a motorist is driving dangerously.

Use of mobiles while driving has been linked to an increasing number of car crashes over the past year.

According to the Irish Independent, the Attorney General has told the Government they are on safe legal grounds if they go ahead and bring in a legal ban on the use of hand-held mobiles.

Meanwhile, Dublin is hosting a two-day international conference on the issue of road safety. The event is being organised by the National Roads Authority and will include experts from Australia, Sweden and the US.