50 per cent of speeding cases brought before courts were dropped
By Donna Roddy
MORE THAN half of all drivers brought before court on speeding offences in Inishowen since 2013 have had their cases dropped.
While less than one fifth of those convicted had their licence number recorded in court.
Susan Gray, of road safety group PARC, says the figures, which were released (upon request) by the Courts Service, highlight that more needs to be done to improve the way in which speeding offences are dealt with.
Of the 179 people brought before Inishowen’s district courts of Buncrana and Carndonagh, between 2013 and March 2015, only 73 were convicted and fined. Drivers should receive five penalty points when convicted.
In total, 106 people had their speeding cases dropped, this included 41 people who had their case dismissed, 34 who were told to make a contribution to the poor box, 26 had their case struck out, while 5 others had their case withdrawn.
Mrs Gray, whose 51-year-old husband Steve was killed on the roads in 2004, claims far too many people are coming before the courts saying that they have not received their fixed penalty notice for speeding offences.
She wants to see the ‘loophole’ closed and is hopeful a bill change will close this gap later this year when the 2016 Road Traffic Bill is passed and enacted by Minister for Transport Shane Ross.
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