A 2-day crackdown on motorists who use hand-held mobile phones while driving will be carried out by An Garda, writes Brian Byrne.
This follows revelations that almost 10,000 drivers using their phones were discovered in the first quarter of 2014, a 4-fold increase in detections.
The crackdown comes ahead of legislation from May 1 which targets drivers who access their mobiles in any way, including texting and data download.
The plan has the support of the FTA Ireland, in relation to drivers of commercial vehicles who break the law. The new rules mean anyone caught texting or 'accessing information' on their phones will face a mandatory court appearance and a fine of up to €1,000 for a first offence. This will rise to a maximum of €2,000 for a second offence, and a possible three-month jail sentence, along with a €2,000 fine, for three offences or more within a 12-month period.
