Speeding can kill but it can also have a very serious impact on your bank balance, insurance premium and penalty points accumulation.
These consequences were brought home to several motorists who were brought before Ballinasloe District Court on charges of speeding on the motorway.
One defendant caught doing 147kph in a 120kph zone, who failed to pay the fixed charge notice issued by the Traffic Corps Gardaí, was fined €350 in Court. He found himself being put off the road for two years when it was discovered he was driving without insurance, receiving an additional fine of €200.
Another driver caught doing 160kph on the motorway who failed to pay the fine imposed when stopped by Gardaí was fined €500 and put off the road for a year when the Judge was informed he had a number of previous convictions for road traffic offences. The Judge asked if he was in a plane doing such a speed.
When dealing with a vet who was detected driving a van at 145kph in a 120kph zone, Judge Faughnan commented after he imposed a fine of €500, “he has five points on his licence now.”
The vet would have received three penalty points for speeding if he had paid the fixed charge issued at the time of his detection but because he failed to do so and the matter went to Court five penalty points were imposed.
