Letterkenny gardaí catch over 20 motorists in major clampdown

The Letterkenny Roads Policing Unit has issued 21 Fixed Charge Penalty Notices to drivers for mobile phone usage. 

Gardaí are conducting a 'day of action' which targets mobile phone usage while driving. The penalty for using your phone while driving is a fixed charge of €120 and 3 penalty points. This increases to a fixed charge of €180 after 28 days and 5 penalty points and a more significant fine can be imposed if it goes to court because of non-payment. 

Statistics show that making a call makes a driver four times more likely to be involved in a collision and texting makes a driver 23 times more likely to be involved in a collision.

“Mobile phones are the number one distraction to drivers on Irish roads,” An Garda Síochána Donegal said. “Despite the fact that using mobile phones while driving is killing people on our roads, people continue to text, make phone calls, take selfies or update their social media pages while driving.

“Even if you're careful, using a phone while driving takes all of your attention off the road so you're putting yourself and the lives of other people in danger by being distracted. As a driver, your full concentration should be on the road. Avoid all distractions. Put your phone away and save lives.”