Gardaí nab tractor driver pulling load of silage while using mobile phone
Roads policing officers were on patrol when they spotted the tractor driver using their phone while behind the wheel on Thursday. Gardaí confirmed that a fixed charge notice was issued to them.
They wrote: 'The driver pulling this full load of silage landed deep in it after we spotted him using his phone while driving. A fixed charge notice was issued to the driver.'
The penalty for using your phone while driving is a fixed charge of €120, and three penalty points. This increases to a fixed charge of €180 after 28 days, and five penalty points and a more significant fine can be imposed if it goes to court because of non-payment.
According to the Road Safety Authority, distracted driving — including mobile phone use — is estimated to be a contributing factor in 20–30 per cent of all collisions on Irish roads.
The daily average detected using their phone while driving during 2024 was 60. Over 21,500 drivers received FCPNs last year having been detected using their phone while behind the wheel.
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