Latest news with #speedLimit
Irish Times
5 days ago
- Politics
- Irish Times
Nine e-scooters seized as gardaí use new safety technology in Dublin
Gardaí have begun trialling new safety devices that can measure the speed of e-scooters and e-bikes. The portable devices, called mobile dynamometers, can determine the maximum speed that the vehicles are capable of. New laws governing the use of e-scooters were introduced in May 2024 and include limiting their maximum speed to 20km/h. They must also meet lighting and braking standards. The use of such vehicles by those under the age of 16 was also banned. READ MORE Any e-scooters that do not comply with these requirements can be seized by gardaí and a fixed charge notice can be issued to the user. In a post on X, the Garda said checks were carried out using the new dynamometer technology in Dublin on Thursday. Nine e-scooters were seized for a range of offences, including speeding and exceeding the maximum rated power output. [ E-scooters perceived as most dangerous form of transport in Ireland, report finds Opens in new window ] Fine Gael councillor for Dublin's north inner city Ray McAdam welcomed the new technology. 'We see e-scooters and similar machines travelling at speeds much greater than 20km/h across our city streets'. 'Those that ride those machines, I believe, are at risk because of the speeds they travel at, but they're also a huge risk to other road users and other pedestrians in the city centre'. Janet Horner, a Green Party councillor in the same district, said that while the speed enforcement is generally positive, 'it will also exasperate some road safety campaigners who have been calling for more enforcement on cars and other vehicles in the city. 'There is widespread and blatant flouting of the current speed limits around the city by all vehicles and we urgently need more enforcement mechanisms, including speed cameras, red light cameras and more visible traffic policing.'
CTV News
7 days ago
- General
- CTV News
Traffic issues in Community Safety Zones continue in the north
Students from Sunset Park Elementary School in North Bay, Ont., show off colouring pages they filled out as part of a campaign to promote safety in school zones. June 3, 2025. (Eric Tascher/CTV News) North Bay police are working with elementary school students as part of a new traffic safety campaign to remind drivers to ease off the gas pedal while driving through Community Safety Zones. Officers were stopping vehicles speeding in school zones where the speed limit is posted at 40 km/h with the help from young traffic enforcers from Sunset Park Elementary School. 'There are a lot of kids here and since there are so many kids, you might hurt one of them,' Grade 5 student Damian Lariviere told CTV News. Lariviere and his classmates drew and coloured traffic enforcement 'tickets' with messages on them reminding drivers to slow down in school zones, where children might be walking to and from school. 'There are a lot of cars that go up and down the street,' said Grade 5 student Noah Degagne. 'We need to make sure cars know to be safe.' 'Think of Me' initiative ticket One of the traffic 'tickets' made by students from Sunset Park Elementary School in North Bay, Ont., handed out as part of the local police service's 'Think of Me' initiative. (Eric Tascher/CTV News) Officers were using radar technology to pull vehicles over who were going over the posted speed limit reminding drivers and instead of writing them a ticket, gave them one of the coloured pages to remind motorists they are in the Community Safety Zone. 'At first, 40km/h, that's an adjustment of your speed and people need to realize that,' Const. Merv Shantz said. 'But those excuse days are long gone.' This campaign is called the 'Think of Me' initiative. Officers got the idea after seeing a steady increase in drivers speeding in school zones. 'Our officers know this and concentrate on those areas because that's areas where drivers need to slow down and be aware of their surroundings,' Shantz said. 'It's really some that's top of mind for us.' North Bay police - Officer - Traffic Stop A North Bay police officer speaks with a motorists in a Community Safety Zone as part of their 'Think of Me' initiative on June 3, 2025. (Eric Tascher/CTV News) At the same time, officers are reminding drivers to make sure they're not passing stopped school buses when their red lights are flashing and its stop arm is out. According to police, speeding fines are based on how much you exceed the speed limit, with penalties increasing. Fines can be doubled or even tripled in Community Safety Zones for speeding, road sign violations, and other traffic contraventions. Vehicles can also be impounded based on how fast the driver is travelling. The campaign also looks to remind students to look both ways before crossing the street and always cross at lights or intersections. 'We want them to be safe and abide by the rules and we also want the drivers to slow down and be cognizant of their speed,' Shantz said.
