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Penalty Points

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  • During 2018, a total of 177,092 penalty point endorsement notices were issued, a decrease of 6.3% on the previous year. Almost two thirds (63.3%) of all penalty point endorsement notices issued in 2018 were for speeding.

  • Males incurred almost twice as many penalty point endorsement notices as females in 2018. Of the 149,453 endorsement notices where gender was recorded, males incurred 98,993 (66.2%) penalty point endorsement notices while females incurred 50,460 (33.8%) notices.

  • In 2018, women incurred proportionally more penalty point endorsement notices for speeding than men (70.6% vs 60.5%), while men incurred proportionally more notices for holding a mobile phone while driving than women (16.7% vs 13.5%).

  • There were 798 drivers with 12 penalty points on their licences on 31st December 2018, of which 106 drivers received all 12 penalty points in 2018. The total number of drivers with penalty points on their licences was 523,115.

Penalty point endorsement notices by offence type, 2018
Speeding 63.3
Driving a
vehicle
while
holding a
mobile
phone
14.9
Other21.8
Penalty endorsement notices by offence type, 2017
Speeding 67.8
Driving a
vehicle
while
holding a
mobile
phone
12.9
Other19.3
Table 3.1 Key figures for penalty point endorsement notices, 2017 and 2018
Number and rate
Offence type20172018% Change 2017-2018
Male102,12598,993-3.1
Female56,14250,460-10.1
No gender recorded30,82827,639-10.3
Total endorsement notices issued189,095177,092-6.3
Sources: Department of Transport, Tourism & Sport and Road Safety Authority

                

Table 3.2 Number of penalty point offences1 by county at 31 December 2017 and 2018
County20172018% Change 2017-2018
Carlow8,6768,053-7.2
Cavan9,6439,216-4.4
Clare19,90519,618-1.4
Cork70,90863,614-10.3
Donegal14,99913,382-10.8
Dublin143,773130,478-9.2
Galway40,55634,829-14.1
Kerry18,48017,544-5.1
Kildare33,58930,054-10.5
Kilkenny15,01912,654-15.7
Laois12,05412,2261.4
Leitrim3,6353,369-7.3
Limerick29,79427,959-6.2
Longford5,7615,610-2.6
Louth11,97811,304-5.6
Mayo15,33414,371-6.3
Meath25,59724,639-3.7
Monaghan8,3527,909-5.3
Offaly10,65510,078-5.4
Roscommon9,4608,508-10.1
Sligo7,7826,956-10.6
Tipperary25,17122,215-11.7
Waterford15,95514,673-8.0
Westmeath12,26210,449-14.8
Wexford26,45024,961-5.6
Wicklow20,28719,004-6.3
Total616,075563,673-8.5
Foreign licence holders270,58363,803-9.6
Unknown36486683.1
Sources: Department of Transport, Tourism & Sport and Road Safety Authority
1 Penalty point offences are recorded on the offender’s driving licence and remain on the licence for a period of three years.
2 Drivers who produce a valid foreign licence and have an Irish address.
3 Unknown refers to non-resident drivers who pay on the spot penalty fines.
Table 3.3 Top 20 penalty point endorsement notices issued, 2017 and 2018
    Number and rate
Offence typePenalty points on paymentPenalty points on conviction20172018% Change 2017-2018
Speeding 35128,191112,096-12.6
Driving a vehicle while holding a mobile phone 3524,45026,3557.8
Use vehicle without NCT certificate 356,0005,717-4.7
Driving without reasonable consideration 244,0794,71115.5
No insurance - (user) m*54,0824,49810.2
Adult Failing to wear Safety Belt cat. M1 Vehicle 354,1724,3363.9
Fail to obey traffic lights 352,9493,68725.0
Learner driver unaccompanied by a qualified driver 243,1222,656-14.9
Non-Display of L Plate (Learner Driver) 241,4491,310-9.6
Fail to comply with prohibitory traffic signs 131,1551,1782.0
Adult Failing to wear Safety Belt cat. N1 Vehicle 359131,08518.8
Cross continuous white line/broken white line 351,029948-7.9
Careless Driving m*..50965628.9
Offence relating to Overtaking 3554262815.9
Dangerous Driving Reduced to Careless Driving 3544860234.4
22-35mcg of alcohol per 100ml of breath 35571517-9.5
Driver Fail Restrain Child O/3 in Child Restraint 355135130.0
Driver Fail ensure Passenger U/17 wear Safety Belt 35527468-11.2
Exceed Road Works Speed Limit (60 Kmh/Motorway) 13..403..
Adult Failing to wear Safety Belt cat. N3 Vehicle 35402384-4.5
Sources: Road Safety Authority and Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport
m* Mandatory court offence
Table 3.4 Number of penalty point endorsement notices issued by gender and county, 2018
CountyFemaleMaleNo gender recordedTotal
Carlow7491,477692,295
Cavan8151,7741172,706
Clare2,0883,3591445,591
Cork5,98011,29579018,065
Donegal1,0622,3502163,628
Galway3,2165,8814949,591
Kerry1,6863,1933515,230
Kildare2,6575,1384018,196
Kilkenny1,1702,104803,354
Laois1,2182,1651903,573
Leitrim30365126980
Limerick2,7285,1414888,357
Longford5631,115941,772
Louth9442,0622583,264
Mayo1,2892,596923,977
Meath2,4834,2863337,102
Monaghan5751,330962,001
Offaly8841,7801672,831
Roscommon6761,350822,108
Sligo6781,250461,974
Tipperary1,7693,4632425,474
Waterford1,5112,9721884,671
Westmeath8811,8191492,849
Wexford2,2534,5741706,997
Wicklow1,9163,4741405,530
Dublin10,36622,3942,41735,177
Foreign licence holder1  19,59119,591
Unknown2  208208
Total50,46098,99327,639177,092
Source: Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport
1 Drivers who produce a valid foreign licence and have an Irish address.
2 Unknown refers to non-resident drivers who pay on the spot penalty fines.
Table 3.5 Number of penalty point endorsement notices issued by gender, 2012 - 2018
YearFemaleMaleNo gender recordedTotal
201274,478125,78538,808239,071
201365,859111,41533,125210,399
201473,397122,80836,925233,130
201578,450132,46738,682249,599
201662,461105,38231,001198,844
201756,142102,12530,828189,095
201850,46098,99327,639177,092
Source: Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport
Table 3.6 Number of penalty point endorsement notices issued by gender and age, 2018
Age profileFemaleMaleNo gender recordedTotal% of total
Under 21 4842,263 2,7471.6
21 to 25 3,1018,274 11,3756.4
26 to 30 5,24510,457 15,7028.9
31 to 35 6,73112,493 19,22410.9
36 to 407,88713,961 21,84812.3
41 to 457,25412,504 19,75811.2
46 to 506,15610,973 17,1299.7
51 to 554,8348,850 13,6847.7
56 to 603,3556,797 10,1525.7
61 to 652,2245,081 7,3054.1
over 65 3,1897,340 10,5295.9
Date of birth not recorded  27,63927,63915.6
Total50,46098,99327,639177,092100.0
Source: Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport
Table 3.7 Top 20 offences for penalty point endorsement notices issued to males by age group, 2018
Number
Offence descriptionAge (years) 
Under 2121-2526-3031-4041-5051-6566 and overTotal
Speeding 1,0064,3525,70914,95814,45113,7525,65159,879
Driving a vehicle while holding a mobile phone 1951,0571,9745,6994,2102,95146516,551
Use vehicle without NCT certificate 603454001,022761492933,173
Driving without reasonable consideration 1824533687465975392283,113
Adult Failing to wear Safety Belt cat. M1 Vehicle 582773126866416852572,916
Fail to obey traffic lights 661912476076085321512,402
Learner driver unaccompanied by a qualified driver 2384602783801645821,580
No insurance - (user) 52213228332202102201,149
Adult Failing to wear Safety Belt cat. N1 Vehicle 8337022824324992923
Non-Display of L Plate (Learner Driver) 11826115719278190825
Fail to comply with prohibitory traffic signs 23418220721919538805
Cross continuous white line/broken white line 14617812720213931652
Offence relating to Overtaking 163747117998622424
22-35mcg of alcohol per 100ml of breath 1284493989643403
Adult Failing to wear Safety Belt cat. N3 Vehicle 3101878767918282
Adult Failing to wear Safety Belt cat. N2 Vehicle 1152182706820277
Non-Display of N plate (Novice driver) 117912620410259
Driver Fail Restrain Child O/3 in Child Restraint 34289770337242
Driver Fail ensure Passenger U/17 wear Safety Belt 4121977772510224
Entry to hatched marked area 3111455675411215
Source: Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport
Table 3.8 Top 20 offences for penalty point endorsement notices issued to females by age group, 2018
Number
Offence descriptionAge (years)Total
Under 2121-2526-3031-4041-5051-6566 and over
Speeding 2731,9183,2719,5229,5718,2752,77935,609
Driving a vehicle while holding a mobile phone 474288892,6681,7899041066,831
Use vehicle without NCT certificate 1167203589502214271,613
Driving without reasonable consideration 268110826324017980977
Learner driver unaccompanied by a qualified driver 55203156265166517903
Fail to obey traffic lights 125510322922419553871
Adult Failing to wear Safety Belt cat. M1 Vehicle 7497823618218547784
No insurance - (user) 56088153107273443
Non-Display of L Plate (Learner Driver) 13709912679161404
Fail to comply with prohibitory traffic signs 411328587548281
Driver Fail ensure Passenger U/17 wear Safety Belt 210276860151183
Cross continuous white line/broken white line 4131648464110178
Driver Fail Restrain Child O/3 in Child Restraint 013356347104172
Exceed Road Works Speed Limit (60 Kmh/Motorway) 18933534616166
Offence relating to Overtaking 311113633224120
Exceed Road Works Speed Limit (60 Kmh/Road) 025222025983
Careless Driving 1662014181378
Driver Fail Restrain Child U/3 in Child Restraint 1102324141073
22-35mcg of alcohol per 100ml of breath 0410111614156
Entry to hatched marked area 056151810256
Source: Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport
Table 3.9 Top 10 penalty point endorsement notices issued for males by county, 2018
Number
CountyTotal no. of penalty point endorsement notices issuedSpeedingDriving a vehicle while holding a mobile phoneUse vehicle without NCT certificateDriving without reasonable considerationAdult failing to wear safety belt cat. M1 vehicleFail to obey traffic lightsLearner driver unaccompanied by a qualified driverNo insurance - (user)Adult failing to wear safety belt cat. N1 vehicleNon-display of L Plate (learner driver)
Carlow1,47788532130374713258523
Cavan1,7741,02231810347421924261824
Clare3,3592,21849061921283532343411
Cork11,2957,0151,8942663162613162111078896
Donegal2,3501,4883185698592322524512
Dublin22,39413,8632,8629256993841,077413317109200
Galway5,8813,4021,22811516623412667576428
Kerry3,1931,959623601021012151252115
Kildare5,1382,94788923521314612589444044
Kilkenny2,1041,1654867270731740201219
Laois2,1651,13747488841052037183433
Leitrim651382123122219488214
Limerick5,1413,0731,02110913323111252398133
Longford1,115645169445934141829109
Louth2,0621,11638110966547531502026
Mayo2,5961,6254664666744128152810
Meath4,2862,8605771581286010049681720
Monaghan1,330773246414234161713912
Offaly1,78096533164721022020234223
Roscommon1,350738268445356161720396
Sligo1,250766244353532181413116
Tipperary3,4632,077664901221143369342234
Waterford2,9721,894473891101073153271624
Westmeath1,8191,113263687464193735168
Wexford4,5742,56292512710524732102466266
Wicklow3,4742,1894971261021087954215939
Total98,99359,87916,5513,1733,1132,9162,4021,5801,149923825
Source: Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport
Table 3.10 Top 10 penalty point endorsement notices issued for females by county, 2018
Number
CountyTotal no. of penalty point endorsement notices issuedSpeedingDriving a vehicle while holding a mobile phoneUse vehicle without NCT certificateDriving without reasonable considerationLearner driver unaccompanied by a qualified driverFail to obey traffic lightsAdult failing to wear safety belt cat. M1 vehicleNo insurance - (user)Non-Display of L Plate (Learner Driver)Fail to comply with prohibitory traffic signs
Carlow749514125171217321674
Cavan815543118551422277121
Clare2,0881,57225927382719421695
Cork5,9804,3417501539313812561445616
Donegal1,062802102323594191671
Dublin10,3667,1251,06252021522535110014377188
Galway3,2162,152615415041557617194
Kerry1,6861,161321292632930986
Kildare2,6571,8323591136051523419274
Kilkenny1,1708261883027192128155
Laois1,2187872284523276373122
Leitrim3032244365136100
Limerick2,7281,866482584240486722174
Longford563383631326158713101
Louth9446699942212930111563
Mayo1,2899841811121108107112
Meath2,4831,976230673640291414108
Monaghan5754187119104610124
Offaly8845831234632157285132
Roscommon67645613310144516890
Sligo678521861271096231
Tipperary1,7691,255241525530152811106
Waterford1,5111,070220374124173911104
Westmeath88165611430179391260
Wexford2,2531,517390603243185823243
Wicklow1,9161,376228882521373610247
Total50,46035,6096,8311,613977903871784443404281
Source: Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport
Table 3.11 Number of drivers by number of penalty points applied in 2018
 Number of Drivers
 1 P.P2 P.P3 P.P4 P.P5 P.P6 P.P7 P.P18 P.P9 P.P10 P.P11 P.P12 P.P2Total
Carlow16991,77624126993640102,154
Cavan131422,05427211895944212,561
Clare232234,28131295277817154355,182
Cork13681113,5761521,300774135547249816,905
Donegal231922,703193761192852303,452
Dublin7851,58225,0323123,5891,329321279083122632,999
Galway493467,197757324347293494118,927
Kerry272293,95067413203518812134,936
Kildare664106,110665903567252014337,670
Kilkenny221512,5793516315921190003,131
Laois161712,62038275156111175153,316
Leitrim43478564937012302923
Limerick472826,181677353874391814497,787
Longford101251,20513178816942201,635
Louth241622,38427374958696123,098
Mayo141743,2041617215051542023,758
Meath812495,431394953165171411216,661
Monaghan231071,50714149684741211,887
Offaly51502,108252429761892002,662
Roscommon81041,67316135643413012,012
Sligo5721,5721795811911121,857
Tipperary293044,13342404199418169415,163
Waterford142363,48022318226511137034,335
Westmeath181392,1052626710601147212,686
Wexford772885,05375484337125123193106,432
Wicklow482454,25038287254314194135,166
Foreign licence holder315161216,9381841659112263041618,805
Unknown400761931000000207
Total1,7347,639133,8941,31313,0637,08516357242425262106166,307
Source: Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport
1 Receipt of 7 points results in disqualification for six months for certain Novice and Learner Permit Drivers issued a licence since 01 August 2014.
2 Receipt of 12 points results in disqualification for six months.
3 Drivers who produce a valid foreign licence and have an Irish address.
4 Unknown refers to non-resident drivers who pay on the spot penalty fines.
Table 3.12 Number of drivers by cumulative number of penalty points and county at 31st December 2018
 Number of Drivers
 1 P.P2 P.P3 P.P4 P.P5 P.P6 P.P7 P.P18 P.P9 P.P10 P.P11 P.P12 P.P2Total
Carlow484944,6591254377071051931713126,666
Cavan395415,22710970675525901032015137,643
Clare771,01910,7452001,1191,9984615630339392815,769
Cork4913,53436,2259704,5985,1931954897361691127252,784
Donegal688248,2561251,12692237891081620511,596
Dublin1,9149,02968,4342,25811,45310,0064361,1001,404468221191106,914
Galway1781,55219,8763872,4783,2796826448084643428,744
Kerry5489110,6742561,1111,506259217329182314,852
Kildare1461,89616,7483642,0382,68274241328100442624,687
Kilkenny397407,4541706341,165309414315271010,521
Laois336766,4311637671,137331092073929349,658
Leitrim61802,16427149269335414132,882
Limerick1861,35715,1033982,2912,5296422539777414222,710
Longford263802,934734584532061712115204,532
Louth708206,3511671,0597673880983413119,508
Mayo506939,2521006241,21422891412015912,229
Meath1651,33314,3022641,6232,1154716327260402620,410
Monaghan574074,730955326652059851615126,693
Offaly256375,57516176582324791083523128,267
Roscommon274825,031744827631667106141257,079
Sligo303804,30572371589134971111065,907
Tipperary761,21012,9332731,4411,9784316226145282218,472
Waterford441,0178,3902029391,1674011617230202812,165
Westmeath346725,72013995480329108995215178,642
Wexford1871,22013,4193631,2792,4747528136782596619,872
Wicklow1111,04710,6572509421,7594815925739482515,342
Foreign licence holder34862,30849,4851361,4703,2723819941131394657,921
Unknown40416286020000000650
Total4,66735,343365,0967,94942,44850,9901,5194,7077,0351,567996798523,115
Source: Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport
1 Receipt of 7 points results in disqualification for six months for certain Novice and Learner Permit Drivers issued a licence since 01 August 2014.
2 Receipt of 12 points results in disqualification for six months.
3 Drivers who produce a valid foreign licence and have an Irish address.
4 Unknown refers to non-resident drivers who pay on the spot penalty fines.

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