After installing an expanded new system of automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras in garda cars, the systems are flagging so many road traffic offences that on duty garda are not able to respond to all of them.
Instead, Garda are being advised to respond to drivers who have been flagged multiple times by the camera systems, cracking down on the top culprits until more resources become available to deal with others.
These responses can include following and signalling a driver to stop so garda can engage with them by the roadside and check if the offences flagged by the cameras have actually been committed.
It was hoped the roll out of new technology, including the garda’s in-car cameras that automatically read the number plates of passing vehicles, would bring about a major clampdown on roads offending.
READ MORE: CiTTi Awards 2023 finalist VivaCity expands into Ireland
Ireland has seen 9 killed to last Friday [31 May], six higher than the same time last year.
Susan Gray, who founded PARC road safety group after her husband Steve was killed in Inishowen, Co Donegal, in 2004, said it was clear more garda should be assigned to roads policing.
PARC road safety group founder Susan Gray said: “We now only have 623 roads policing unit members, down from 736 a few years ago. It’s continually going in the wrong direction.
“If our brilliant roads policing members are expected to do their job properly, then they must have the manpower, equipment and instant access to vital information on vehicles and driving licences at their fingertips for roadside checkpoints.”
Achievements and innovations in road safety will be celebrated at the third annual CiTTi Awards, which will be held on 26 November 2024 at De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms in London. Nominations are open now! Please visit www.cittiawards.co.uk to learn more about this unmissable event for the UK’s transportation sector
