Police in Northern Ireland have announced a zero-tolerance crackdown on a range of motoring offences following a rise in road deaths here.
Officers have been instructed not to exercise discretion but issue tickets for for using a mobile phone while driving as well as speeding and seatbelt offences.
The crackdown comes after 54 people died on North’s roads since the start of the year.
At the same point in 2012, 26 people had been killed. In the first eight months of 2013, 40 people had died on the roads.
PSNI Assistant Chief Constable, Stephen Martin – former Derry police commander – told yesterday’s meeting of the Policing Board that a “firmer approach in relation to some offences on Northern Ireland’s roads.”
As a result, from today, if you are caught speeding, using a phone while driving or icaught not wearing your seat belt, you can expect to get a ticket, £60 fine and three penalty points.
ACC Martin said: “”We don’t want to give you a ticket, we want to find you driving responsibly within the limitations of the road and within the posted speed limits – that’s what we want to find.
“But, if we find that you are in breach of one of those three offences we will give you a ticket and we make no apology for that because we would much rather give you a ticket than be knocking your family’s door to tell them you have lost your life on the road.”
He said officers were being told to issue all offenders with tickets.
He concluded: “Northern Ireland is a small place, we should not have 54 road deaths.”
Tags: