Waterford Garda division sees 1,600 people fined for using phone while driving 

Waterford saw a significant number of people fined for using their mobile phone while driving a vehicle in the latest roads policing data released by An Garda Síochána, with 1,600 people receiving fines for the offence during the year preceding July 2024.

Gardaí in the Waterford Kilkenny Carlow division issued 34 per cent more fines in the second quarter of 2024 than in the same period in 2023. The total for the Garda division covering Waterford was 543 Fixed Charge Notices in the area, the second worst offending divisional area was Kildare division coming just eight FCNs behind.

Both areas were significantly higher than any other Garda division, a considerable 32 per cent and 31 per cent higher than the third worst offending area respectively, with the Mayo/Roscommon/Longford Division seeing 411 fines during the same quarter.

The number of fines is based on valid, unique Fixed Charge Notices issued for the offence of 'Driving - Holding a Mobile Phone’ which is contrary to section 3(1) of the Road Traffic Act 2006'.

The RSA has reminded drivers that it is illegal to hold a mobile phone in your hand or support it with another part of your body, or to access information on a mobile phone while driving.

The charge for the offence is a fixed charged notice of €120m and three penalty points. Failure to pay the fine will incur an increased number of penalty points – following a court conviction, you will get 5 penalty points and a fine of up to €2,000.