Road Traffic Act 2010

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PART 8

Certain Driving Offences

Inconsiderate, careless and dangerous driving, etc.

69.— The following sections are substituted for sections 51A, 52 (inserted by sections 49 and 50, respectively, of the Act of 1968), 53 (as amended by section 51 of the Act of 1968, section 49(1)(b) of the Act of 1994 and section 13 of the Act of 2004), 54 (as amended by section 6 of the Act of 1968) and 55 (as amended by section 52 of the Act of 1968) of the Principal Act:

“Driving without reasonable consideration.

51A.— (1) A person shall not drive a vehicle in a public place without reasonable consideration for other persons using the place.

(2) A person who contravenes subsection (1) commits an offence.

Careless driving.

52.— (1) A person shall not drive a vehicle in a public place without due care and attention.

(2) A person who contravenes subsection (1) commits an offence and—

(a) in case the contravention causes death or serious bodily harm to another person, he or she is liable on conviction on indictment to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years or to a fine not exceeding €10,000 or to both, and

(b) in any other case, he or she is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding €5,000.

(3) Where a member of the Garda Síochána is of opinion that a person has committed an offence under this section and that the contravention has caused death or serious bodily harm to another person, he or she may arrest the first-mentioned person without warrant.

Dangerous driving.

53.— (1) A person shall not drive a vehicle in a public place in a manner (including speed) which having regard to all the circumstances of the case (including the condition of the vehicle, the nature, condition and use of the place and the amount of traffic which then actually is or might reasonably be expected then to be in it) is or is likely to be dangerous to the public.

(2) A person who contravenes subsection (1) commits an offence and—

(a) in case the contravention causes death or serious bodily harm to another person, he or she is liable on conviction on indictment to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 10 years or to a fine not exceeding €20,000 or to both, and

(b) in any other case, he or she is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding €5,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or to both.

(3) In a prosecution for an offence under this section or section 52, it is not a defence to show that the speed at which the accused person was driving was not in excess of a speed limit applying in relation to the vehicle or the road, whichever is the lower, under Part 2 of the Road Traffic Act 2004 .

(4) Where, when a person is tried on indictment or summarily for an offence under this section, the jury, or, in the case of a summary trial, the District Court, is of the opinion that he or she had not committed an offence under this section but had committed an offence under section 52, the jury or court may find him or her guilty of an offence under section 52, and he or she may be sentenced accordingly.

(5) Where a member of the Garda Síochána is of opinion that a person has committed an offence under this section, he or she may arrest the person without warrant.

Driving of dangerously defective vehicle.

54.— (1) Where a mechanically propelled vehicle is driven in a public place while there is a defect affecting the vehicle which the person driving the vehicle and, where the person driving the vehicle is not the owner, the owner of it, knows of or could have discovered by the exercise of ordinary care and which is such that the vehicle is, when in motion, a danger to the public, such person and such owner each commits an offence.

(2) Where a person is charged with an offence under this section, it is a defence to the charge for him or her to show that the vehicle was being driven on the occasion in question by another person and that such driving was unauthorised.

(3) A person who commits an offence under this section is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding €5,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 months or to both.

(4) In a prosecution for an offence under this subsection it is a defence if the defendant shows that on the occasion in question he or she was the employee of the owner and was using the vehicle in obedience to the express orders of the owner.

Parking vehicle in dangerous position.

55.— (1) A person shall not park a vehicle in a public place if, when so parked, the vehicle would be likely to cause danger to other persons using that place.

(2) A person who contravenes subsection (1) commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction—

(a) in the case of—

(i) a first offence, where any part of the period of the contravention was a period within lighting-up hours (as declared by regulations under section 11) during which the vehicle did not fulfil the requirements imposed by law with respect to lighting and reflectors, or

(ii) a second or any subsequent offence,

to a fine not exceeding €3,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding one month or to both, and

(b) in any other case, to a fine not exceeding €2,000.

(3) Where a member of the Garda Síochána is of opinion that a person is committing or has committed an offence under this section, he or she may arrest the person without warrant.”.