Road Traffic (No. 2) Act 2011
What is this act about?
This law amends and extends existing Road Traffic Acts, primarily focusing on updating definitions, clarifying obligations for drivers regarding identification, and revising penalties for various driving offences.
Who it applies to: Drivers of mechanically propelled vehicles; Owners of mechanically propelled vehicles.
Deadlines:
- If a driver fails to produce a licence on demand, they must produce it at a Garda Síochána station within 10 days.
- Careless driving causing death or serious bodily harm can lead to imprisonment for up to 2 years or a fine up to €10,000, or both.
- Dangerous driving causing death or serious bodily harm can lead to imprisonment for up to 10 years or a fine up to €20,000, or both.
At a glance
- Country
- Ireland
- Area of law
- Criminal law
- Articles
- 11
- Source
- irishstatutebook.ie
- Text retrieved
- Explanation updated
What does this act regulate?
- The obligation to produce a driving licence or learner permit to a Garda Síochána.
- The duty to provide personal information (name, address, date of birth) to a Garda Síochána when suspected of a specified offence.
- Various driving offences, including driving without reasonable consideration, careless driving, dangerous driving, and driving a dangerously defective vehicle.
- The offence of parking a vehicle in a dangerous position.
Who does this act apply to?
- Drivers of mechanically propelled vehicles.
- Owners of mechanically propelled vehicles.
- Members of the Garda Síochána.
What are the key points?
- If a driver fails to produce a licence on demand, they must produce it at a Garda Síochána station within 10 days.
- Refusing to give or giving false/misleading name, address, or date of birth to a Garda Síochána is an offence.
- Careless driving causing death or serious bodily harm can lead to imprisonment for up to 2 years or a fine up to €10,000, or both.
- Dangerous driving causing death or serious bodily harm can lead to imprisonment for up to 10 years or a fine up to €20,000, or both.
Criminal law
Legal text
Legal text
Road Traffic (No. 2) Act 2011 Skip to content Disclaimer Feedback Helpdesk Gaeilge Léim go dtí an t-ábhar Séanadh Aiseolas Deasc chabhrach English Gaeilge English Produced by the Office of the Attorney General Táirgthe ag Oifig an Ard-Aighne Home Legislation Acts of the Oireachtas Statutory Instruments Pre-1922 Legislation Constitution External Resources Bills (Houses of the Oireachtas) Iris Oifigiúil / Official Gazette Revised Acts (LRC) Classified List of Legislation (LRC) Translations (acts.ie) Translations (Houses of the Oireachtas) Government Publications for Sale EU Law (EUR-Lex) FAQ Disclaimer Feedback Helpdesk Search Baile Reachtaíocht Achtanna an Oireachtais Ionstraimí Reachtúla Reachtaíocht Réamh-1922 Bunreacht Acmhainní Seachtracha Billí (Tithe an Oireachtais) Iris Oifigiúil Achtanna Athbhreithnithe (CAD) (An Coimisiún um Athchóiriú an Dlí) Liosta Rangaithe Reachtaíochta Aistriúcháin (achtanna.ie) Aistriúcháin (Tithe an Oireachtais) Foilseacháin Rialtais ar Díol Dlí AE (EUR-Lex) CCanna (Ceisteanna Coitianta) Séanadh Aiseolas Deasc chabhrach Cuardach TitleTeideal Year(s) or rangeBliain nó blianta nó raon TypeCineál All Legislation Acts Statutory Instruments Advanced SearchCuardach Casta HomeBaile ActsAchtanna 2011 Road Traffic (No. 2) Act 2011 Road Traffic (No. 2) Act 2011 Permanent Page URL View by SectionAmharc de réir Ailt View Full ActAmharc ar an Acht Iomlán Bill History Stair Bille Commencement, Amendments, SIs made under the Act Tosach Feidhme, Leasuithe, IRí arna ndéanamh faoin Acht Open PDFOscail PDF Print Full ActPriontáil an tAcht Iomlán Number 28 of 2011 ROAD TRAFFIC (NO. 2) ACT 2011 ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS Section
Section 1
Section 2
Section 3
Section 4
Section 5
Section 6
Section 7
Section 8
Section 9
Section 10
Section 11
Acts Referred to Offences against the Person Act 1861 1861, (24 & 25 Vict.) c.100 Probation of Offenders Act 1907 1907 (7 Edw. 7) c.17 Road Traffic Act 1961 1961, No. 24 Road Traffic Act 1968 1968, No. 25 Road Traffic Act 1994 1994, No. 7 Road Traffic Act 2002 2002, No. 12 Road Traffic Act 2004 2004, No. 44 Road Traffic Act 2006 2006, No. 23 Road Traffic Act 2010 2010, No. 25 Road Traffic Acts 1961 to 2011 Taxi Regulation Act 2003 2003, No. 25 Number 28 of 2011 ROAD TRAFFIC (NO. 2) ACT 2011 AN ACT TO AMEND AND EXTEND THE ROAD TRAFFIC ACTS 1961 TO 2011 AND TO PROVIDE FOR RELATED MATTERS. [20th October, 2011] BE IT ENACTED BY THE OIREACHTAS AS FOLLOWS:
Definitions.
1.— In this Act— “Act of 1968” means Road Traffic Act 1968 ; “Act of 1994” means Road Traffic Act 1994 ; “Act of 2002” means Road Traffic Act 2002 ; “Act of 2004” means Road Traffic Act 2004 ; “Act of 2006” means Road Traffic Act 2006 ; “Act of 2010” means Road Traffic Act 2010 ; “Principal Act” means Road Traffic Act 1961 .
Amendment of section 40 of Principal Act — production of driving licence on demand of member of Garda Síochána.
2.— Section 40 (inserted by section 59 of the Act of 2010) of the Principal Act is amended— (a) in subsection (4), by substituting for paragraph (a) the following: “(a) Where a person of whom the production of a driving licence or learner permit is demanded under this section refuses or fails to produce the licence or permit there and then, a member of the Garda Síochána may require the person to produce within 10 days after the date of the requirement the licence or permit in person to a member of the Garda Síochána at a Garda Síochána station to be named by the person at the time of the requirement. If the person refuses or fails so to produce the licence or permit, he or she commits an offence.”, (b) by substituting for subsection (6) the following: “(6) Where a person of whom the production of a driving licence or learner permit is demanded or required under this section refuses or fails so to produce the licence or permit or produces the licence or permit but refuses or fails to permit the member of the Garda Síochána to whom it is produced to read the licence or permit, the member may demand of the person his or her name and address and date of birth and, if the person refuses or fails to give to the member his or her name and address and date of birth or gives to the member a name or address or date of birth which is false or misleading, he or she commits an offence.”, (c) in subsection (7), by substituting for paragraph (b) the following: “(b) a person who, when his or her name and address and date of birth are lawfully demanded of him or her by a member of the Garda Síochána under this section, refuses or fails to give to the member his or her name and address and date of birth or gives to the member a name or address or date of birth which the member has reasonable grounds for believing to be false or misleading.”, and (d) by inserting after subsection (8) the following: “(9)
Section 1
Amendment of section 107 of Principal Act — duty to give information on demand by member of Garda Síochána.
3.— Section 107 (inserted by section 79 of the Act of 2010) of the Principal Act is amended— (a) by substituting for subsection (1) the following: “(1) Where a member of the Garda Síochána alleges to a person using a mechanically propelled vehicle that the member suspects that such person has committed a specified offence under this Act, the member may demand of such person his or her name and address and date of birth and may, if such person refuses or fails to give his or her name and address and date of birth or gives a name or address or date of birth which the member has reasonable grounds for believing to be false or misleading, arrest such person without warrant.”, and (b) by substituting for subsection (3) the following: “(3) Where a person, when his or her name and address and date of birth are demanded of him or her under this section, refuses or fails to give his or her name and address and date of birth or gives a name or address or date of birth which is false or misleading, such person commits an offence.”.
Amendments to Principal Act — certain driving offences.
4.— (1) The following sections are substituted for sections 51A, 52 (inserted by sections 49 and 50, respectively, of the Act of 1968), 53 (as amended by section 51 of the Act of 1968, section 49(1)(f) of the Act of 1994 and section 13 of the Act of 2004), 54 (as amended by section 6 of the Act of 1968) and 55 (as amended by section 52 of the Act of 1968) of the Principal Act: “Driving without reasonable consideration.
51A.— (1) A person shall not drive a vehicle in a public place without reasonable consideration for other persons using the place.
Careless driving.
52.— (1) A person shall not drive a vehicle in a public place without due care and attention.
Dangerous driving.
53.— (1) A person shall not drive a vehicle in a public place in a manner (including speed) which having regard to all the circumstances of the case (including the condition of the vehicle, the nature, condition and use of the place and the amount of traffic which then actually is or might reasonably be expected then to be in it) is or is likely to be dangerous to the public.
Part 2
of the Road Traffic Act 2004 .
Driving of dangerously defective vehicle.
54.— (1) A person who drives a mechanically propelled vehicle in a public place while there is a defect affecting the vehicle which he or she knows of or could have discovered by the exercise of ordinary care and which is such that the vehicle is, when in motion, a danger to the public, commits an offence.
Parking vehicle in dangerous position.
55.— (1) A person shall not park a vehicle in a public place if, when so parked, the vehicle would be likely to cause danger to other persons using that place.
Amendment of section 18 of Act of 1968 — regulations in relation to control of driving instructors.
5.— Section 18 of the Act of 1968 is amended by substituting for subsection (7) the following: “(7) A person who contravenes or fails to comply with a regulation under this section which is stated to be a penal regulation commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction— (a) in the case of a contravention of a regulation— (i) prohibiting or restricting the giving for reward of instruction by a person other than a licensed driving instructor, or prohibiting the employment of such a person for the purpose of giving instruction for reward, or (ii) prohibiting a person other than a licensed driving instructor from holding himself or herself out as a licensed driving instructor, or prohibiting a person employing a driving instructor other than a licensed driving instructor from holding that driving instructor out as a licensed driving instructor, to a class A fine or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 months or to both, and (b) in the case of any other failure or contravention, to a class C fine.”.
Amendment of section 8 of Act of 2010.
6.— The Act of 2010 is amended by substituting for section 8 the following: “Failure or refusal to produce licence.
8.— (1) Where a person is required by a member of the Garda Síochána to provide a specimen under section 9, 10, 12 or 14 and the person fails or refuses, at the demand of the member under section 40 of the Principal Act, to produce and present to the member a driving licence then having effect and licensing the person to drive the vehicle concerned, it shall be presumed, until the contrary is shown, that the person does not hold such a licence.
Alternative verdicts.
8A.— (1) A person charged with an offence under section 4 consisting of a contravention of subsection (2)(b), (3)(b) or (4)(b) of that section may, in lieu of being found guilty of that offence, be found guilty of an offence under section 4 consisting of a contravention of subsection (2)(a), (3)(a) or (4)(a), as may be appropriate, of that section.
Preliminary breath specimen.
7.— The Act of 2010 is amended by substituting for section 9 the following: “9.— (1) This section applies to a person in charge of a mechanically propelled vehicle in a public place who, in the opinion of a member of the Garda Síochána— (a) has consumed intoxicating liquor, (b) is committing or has committed an offence under the Road Traffic Acts 1961 to 2011, (c) is or has been, with the vehicle, involved in a collision, or (d) is or has been, with the vehicle, involved in an event in which death occurs or injury appears or is claimed to have been caused to a person of such nature as to require medical assistance for the person at the scene of the event or that the person be brought to a hospital for medical assistance.
(8)
Section 1
Obligation to provide blood or urine specimen while in hospital.
8.— The Act of 2010 is amended by substituting for section 14 the following: “14.— (1) Where, in a public place, an event occurs in relation to a mechanically propelled vehicle in consequence of which a person is injured, or claims or appears to have been injured, and is admitted to, or attends at, a hospital and a member of the Garda Síochána is of opinion that, at the time of the event, the person was driving or attempting to drive, or in charge of with intent to drive or attempt to drive (but not driving or attempting to drive), the mechanically propelled vehicle, then, subject to subsection (4) and unless the member is of opinion that the person should be arrested, the member shall, in the hospital, require the person either— (a) to permit a designated doctor or designated nurse to take from the person a specimen of his or her blood, or (b) at the option of the person, to provide for the designated doctor or designated nurse a specimen of his or her urine, and if the doctor or nurse states in writing— (i) that he or she is unwilling, on medical grounds, to take from the person or be provided by the person with the specimen to which the requirement in either of the foregoing paragraphs related, or (ii) that the person is unable or unlikely within the period of time referred to in section 4 or 5, as the case may be, to comply with the requirement, the member may make a requirement of the person under this subsection in relation to the specimen other than that to which the first requirement related.
(7)
Section 1
Amendments to Act of 2010.
9.— The Act of 2010 is amended— (a) in subsection (1) of section 3, by substituting for the definition of “specified person” the following: “ ‘specified person’ means a person who at the time of an alleged offence under section 4 or 5— (a) is the holder of a learner permit permitting the holder to drive a vehicle of the category concerned, (b) is the holder of a first driving licence licensing the holder to drive a vehicle of the category concerned within a period of 2 years from the date of its issue, (c) is the holder of a driving licence licensing the holder to drive a vehicle in the category C, C1, D, D1, EB, EC, EC1, ED, ED1 or W while driving, attempting to drive or being in charge of such a vehicle, (d) is the holder of a licence to drive a small public service vehicle granted under section 34 of the Taxi Regulation Act 2003 or section 82 of the Principal Act, or a person purporting to be such a holder, while driving, attempting to drive or being in charge of such a vehicle when the vehicle is being used in the course of business, or (e) does not hold a driving licence licensing the holder to drive a vehicle of the category concerned.”, (b) in paragraph (a) of section 7, by substituting “section 9(2)” for “section 9(1)”, (c) in subsection (4) of section 10, by substituting “(including the functions under section 9)” for “(including the powers under section 9)”, (d) in section 12(1), by inserting “or hospital” after “at a Garda Síochána station”, (e) in section 24, by inserting after subsection (4) the following: “(5) A member of the Garda Síochána may, for the purpose of making a requirement of a person under subsection (1), enter without warrant any hospital where the person is or where the member, with reasonable cause, suspects him or her to be.
(7)
Section 1
and (ii) in subsection (4), by substituting for paragraph (b) the following: “(b) a person who, when his or her name and address and date of birth are lawfully demanded of him or her by the member under this section, refuses or fails to give to the member his or her name and address and date of birth or gives to the member a name or address or date of birth which the member has reasonable grounds for believing to be false or misleading.”, and (m) in section 85, by deleting paragraph (d).
Transitional provision — section 65.
10.— The Act of 2010 is amended in section 65 by inserting after subsection (3) the following: “(4) For the purposes of section 26 of, and the Second Schedule to, the Principal Act (inserted by this section)— (a) the reference to section 4 of the Road Traffic Act 2010 in— (i) paragraph 4 of the Second Schedule to, and (ii) section 26(4)(a)(i) and 26(4)(b) of, the Principal Act shall be deemed to include a reference to section 49 of the Principal Act, (b) the reference to section 5 of the Road Traffic Act 2010 in— (i) paragraph 5 of the Second Schedule to, and (ii) section 26(4)(b) of, the Principal Act shall be deemed to include a reference to section 50 of the Principal Act, (c) the reference to section 5(1) of the Road Traffic Act 2010 in section 26(4)(a)(ii) of the Principal Act shall be deemed to include a reference to section 50(1) of the Principal Act, (d) the reference to section 12 of the Road Traffic Act 2010 in— (i) paragraph 6 of the Second Schedule to, and (ii) section 26(4)(a)(v) of, the Principal Act shall be deemed to include a reference to section 13 of the Road Traffic Act 1994 , and (e) the reference to section 14 of the Road Traffic Act 2010 in— (i) paragraph 6 of the Second Schedule to, and (ii) section 26(4)(a)(v) of, the Principal Act shall be deemed to include a reference to section 15 of the Road Traffic Act 1994 .”.
Short title, commencement and collective citation.
11.— (1) This Act may be cited as the Road Traffic (No. 2) Act 2011.
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