New road safety offence carries a fixed charge of €80

Minister for Transport, Pascal Donohoe, previously spoke of his intention to make driving with defective tyres an offence punishable by penalty points. This new road safety measure just been implemented and from tomorrow onwards, motorists driving with worn tyres will be ordered to pay a fixed charge of €80. The Road Safety Authority previously commissioned a study on the causes of fatal collisions on Irish roads, and an analysis of forensic collision investigations has shown faulty tyres to be accountable for 8% of 858 fatal crashes between 2008 and 2012. Minister Donohoe released a statement on the new measure, which you can read in full here, where he spoke of how his department worked with the Road Safety Authority and An Garda Síochana to implement the new measure.

"Following consultation with the Road Safety Authority and An Garda Síochána, I have decided to extend the fixed charge notice system to vehicles with defective or worn tyres. This new measure is intended to promote greater awareness among motorists of the hazards of driving with tyres that are not in roadworthy condition".

If you are unsure of the quality of your tyres, this guide, put together by the RSA, will help you to establish if your tyres are of the recommended quality.