THE number of drivers in Cork caught not wearing their seat belt has risen sharply in 2024.
According to figures supplied by An Garda Siochana there was a 4% increase in Cork County in motorists found behind the wheel without a seat belt (57 in total), and an 11% increase in Cork city (41, up from 37 in 2023).
In total there were 5,848 people nationwide issued a fixed penalty charge for not wearing their seat belt whilst driving from January to December 2024.
The sharpest rise was in Galway (up 95%) followed by Kerry (up 72%) and Waterford (an increase of 57%).
Ireland South MEP Cynthia Ní Mhurchú, a member of the EU Transport Committee, has called for a get-tough approach on two of the leading factors in road deaths in Ireland - non-wearing of seat belts and use of mobile phones while driving.
Ní Mhurchú described the figures as truly shocking and said it was a cause for grave concern that some people continue to take unnecessary risks on our roads.
She said: ‘On February 1st, 1979, Ireland introduced legislation that made the wearing of seat belts mandatory for front seat passengers and drivers.
Some 46 years later, and almost 6,000 Irish people are caught not wearing a seat belt in a single year. There is no excuse. I do not understand why someone would not buckle up.’
Garda figures show that more offenders are caught not wearing seat belts in the summer months. Ní Mhurchú has called for a commitment in the Programme for Government to ‘introduce new road safety cameras to automatically detect mobile phone use and non-wearing of seat belts’ to be implemented immediately.
Fines and penalty points are issued for adults who do not wear a seat belt or allow children under 17 to travel whilst not properly restrained in the car.
Ní Mhurchú said it is vitally important that parents ensure that their children are properly strapped in, with RSA research showing that four in five children are not strapped in properly.
