Fianna Fáil MEP calls for crackdown on using phones while driving

Ireland South MEP Cynthia Ní Mhurchú has pleaded with drivers to put down the mobile phone this bank holiday weekend as Garda figures show a spike in the number of drivers caught driving whilst holding a mobile phone between 2023 and 2024 in some areas.

Dublin performed extremely poorly in the figures which show year on year increases in the numbers of people caught on their mobile phone whilst driving with percentage increases of up to 237%

The Cork county Garda division recorded a 25% year on year increase in the number of drivers caught using their mobile phones and Galway recorded a 21% increase. Kildare stood out, having recorded a 47% increase in the number of drivers caught by Gardaí using their mobile whilst driving between 2023 and 2024. Dublin was the worst offender with significant increases across all Garda divisions in Dublin.

Ní Mhurchú welcomed the fact that Garda divisions in Kerry, Cork city, Sligo, Leitrim, Mayo, Cavan, Monaghan, Donegal, Waterford, Kilkenny, and Carlow all recorded year on year decreases in the number of people caught driving using their mobile phones. Assuming detection efforts are static from year to year, Ní Mhurchú described this as a silver lining in the Garda figures.

Ní Mhurchú has called for increased use of unmarked Garda lorries which have proved extremely effective at catching drivers using their mobiles. The high cab trucks are accompanied by a patrol car or an unmarked interceptor vehicle and offer Gardaí a birds eye view of bad behaviour on our roads.

Ní Mhurchú said all options should be on the table to tackle the epidemic of drivers using their mobile phones, including discounted insurance policies for drivers who are willing to install or use technology that blocks phones whilst driving.

The penalty for using your phone while driving is a fixed charge of €120, and 3 penalty points.