THE number of Cork people caught driving while using their phone has increased by 25% since the same period in 2024, showing people are not getting the message about the dangers of phone use while driving.
The number of fixed charge notices issued in the county in the last three months for the crime was 199, which increased to 248 for the same period last year.
Galway recorded a 21% increase, while Kildare stood out, having recorded a 47% increase in the number of drivers caught by gardaí using their mobile whilst driving between 2023 and 2024. Dublin was the worst offender, with significant increases across all garda divisions in Dublin.
Ireland South MEP Cynthia Ní Mhurchú has pleaded with drivers to put down the mobile phone in light of the figures. Ní Mhurchú welcomed the fact that garda divisions in Kerry, Cork city, Sligo, Leitrim, Mayo, Cavan, Monaghan, Donegal, Waterford, Kilkenny, and Carlow all recorded year-on-year decreases in the number of people caught driving using their mobile phones. Assuming detection efforts are static from year to year, Ní Mhurchú described this as a silver lining in the garda figures.
She has called for increased use of unmarked garda lorries, which have proved extremely effective at catching drivers using their mobiles. The high-cab trucks are accompanied by a patrol car or an unmarked interceptor vehicle, and offer gardaí a birds’ eye view of bad behaviour on our roads.
She said all options should be on the table to tackle the epidemic of drivers using their mobile phones, including discounted insurance policies for drivers who are willing to install or use technology that blocks phones whilst driving.
The penalty for using a phone while driving is a fixed charge of €120, and three penalty points.
