Fixed penalty notice bid to tackle careless driving
- Published
The department said the aim is to influence the future decisions of drivers, encouraging more careful driving and improved personal responsibility
A new fixed penalty notice of £100 and three penalty points has been introduced in a bid to tackle careless driving in Northern Ireland.
The penalty follows consultation with the public and criminal justice bodies.
It will be used for low-level careless driving offences.
The Department for Infrastructure said in 2021, 486 people were killed or badly hurt due to road crashes where the cause was attributed to careless driving.
It said the new fixed penalty notice would provide "proportionate justice for low-level careless driving offences without the need for court proceedings, saving public money and time".
Drivers who commit more serious offences will continue to be dealt with before the courts and will be subject to substantial penalties, the department added.
New arrangements introduced on Monday will also allow the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) to "offer remedial training to careless drivers as an alternative to the fixed penalty notice".
The department said the aim is to influence the future decisions of drivers, encouraging more careful driving and improved personal responsibility.
Costs associated with the course will be met by the offender as an alternative to receiving penalty points and paying the fixed penalty notice fine.
'Sends a clear message'
Dr Chris Hughes, Department for Infrastructure Director for Road Safety, said the new penalty notice "has the potential to make enforcement of this offence more effective and reduce the instances of careless driving in the future".
"It also sends a clear message to drivers that the risk of being caught and punished for a careless driving offence has now increased," he added.
"A less bureaucratic system for lower-level offending means police can spend less time preparing case files for court and more time on the road observing driving behaviours."
PSNI Ch Supt Sam Donaldson welcomed the introduction of the new legislation.
"Driving without care and attention is one of the most significant causes of the most serious collisions in which people are killed and seriously injured on our roads," he said.
"Where appropriate the new penalty will give drivers the opportunity to benefit from remedial training.
"The training will not only highlight the catastrophic impact that can result from careless driving but, critically, it will give drivers the opportunity to educate themselves and make our roads safer for everyone."