JONATHAN RILEY,
Sir, - I have to drive many long and short journeys from home as part of my business. I think all drivers would agree that the standard of driving in Ireland leaves much to be desired, especially the flouting of the drink-driving rules. The rate of road deaths is probably the highest in Europe.
All too often one hears gardaí being blamed for not carrying out their duties zealously enough. Are they really to blame?
I sat for a whole day in a circuit court listening to appeals against convictions in the district court for drunken behaviour and assaults, but mostly driving offences for speeding over 100 m.p.h. or for drink-driving. All the old excuses were brought out: "I didn't realise I was going that fast"; "My bike was very powerful and I couldn't handle it properly"; "I was hurrying to hospital to see the sick child of my friend".
In nearly all cases sentences were reduced, even to one week's disqualification in the case of a man driving at 105 m.p.h. Not only that, such disqualifications were postponed to suitable times, such as when the defendant was on holiday!
What sort of message is this? Is there any chance drivers will take any heed of likely prosecutions, or gardaí be motivated to enforce the law, if they are given such a lead by the judiciary? - Yours, etc.,
JONATHAN RILEY, Castlelough, Portroe, Nenagh, Co Tipperary.