Cross-Border Driving Disqualifications

From spring 2009 motorists disqualified from driving in Northern Ireland will also be banned in the Republic of Ireland. The new initiative is a response aimed at improving safety on our roads and will affect drivers crossing the border in both directions and those disqualified for an offence in the UK.

Until now both Governments have been unable to enforce disqualifications issued by the other jurisdiction. As a result drivers disqualified from driving in Northern Ireland could still legally drive in the Republic of Ireland.

A Steering to Safety report in 2005 highlights the problem; it found that drivers are more likely to change their behaviour when crossing the border “as they see no legal consequences on the other side.” The initiative was first discussed at a North/South Ministerial Council meeting as a response to road safety in the border counties. Transport is a significant area for North/South co-operation and with increasing numbers of people travelling across the border in both directions Ministers are keen to ensure that drivers will no longer be able to escape prosecution because they were registered in a different jurisdiction. The new proposal is expected to take effect from Mid-2009 an exact date has yet to be announced.

The new initiative also includes a commitment to examine the mutual recognition of penalty points. However, this is likely to take longer to enforce because each of the three jurisdictions – Northern Ireland, UK and Republic of Ireland are currently operating separate penalty point systems. A feasibility study is currently underway to investigate methods of harmonising the disparate systems.

The new initiative is a response aimed at improving road safety on the island of Ireland. Both Governments’ are seeking tighter controls to discourage dangerous driving and it is hoped by mid-2009 the mutual recognition of driving disqualifications will reduce the high number of casualties in the border region. For those driving across the border it also worth remembering that the mutual recognition of penalty points is unlikely to be far behind!

© Northern Ireland Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux (NIACAB) 2008