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Tag Archives: driving

Ireland’s first e-scooter training course launched in Clare

A CLARE-BASED driver education programme has launched Ireland’s very first e-scooter safety course which is set to be rolled out in schools across the country. The Irish School of Excellence, founded by Clare native Kieran O’Brien, has joined forces with Bird, a leader in environmentally friendly electric transportation, to launch the course. The announcement of the new programme comes just weeks after the National Council for the Blind of Ireland (NCBI), the Irish Wheelchair Association and the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind highlighted the hazards caused by e-scooters, calling for a ban on their use on footpaths and a reduced speed limit of 12km/h among other proposals. Mr O’Brien, CEO and founder of ISOE, explained that when it came to setting up the new course he was moved by the organisations’ statements to the Oireachtas Committee on Transport highlighting their concerns about e-scooters. “We were going to add e-scooter training as part of our overall driver education programme in schools, Mr O’Brien …

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Clare men clock up more penalty points than women

OVER 5,000 penalty point notices were issued to Clare drivers last year, with close to two-thirds of those being incurred by male drivers. The figures, released this week by the Central Statistics Office (CSO), show that the vast majority of points notices issued to Clare motorists in 2019 – 71% – were for speeding. The second most common offence incurring points, at 14%, was driving while holding a mobile phone. In relation to both of these motoring offences, men incurred a higher percentage of the points. A total of 3,620 points notices were issued last year in Clare for speeding. 60% of those were incurred by men and 40% by women. The data, which is outlined in the CSO’s latest Transport Omnibus, show that 4,838 Clare drivers got penalty points last year. The vast majority of those motorists, at 84%, clocked up three points. However, there were four drivers who incurred a total of 12 points over the course of …

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Ease up on the accelerator

WITH quite a number of road deaths since the beginning of the new year, new research from AA Ireland has revealed that some Irish motorists are still too heavy on the accelerator. In an AA Motor Insurance survey, 21.07% of more than 7,000 admitted that they had broken the speed limit within the past month. Meanwhile, a further 8.76% and 10.13% admitted to speeding within the past 6 months and within the last year respectively. Despite the increase in traffic on Irish roads, there was some positive news as the survey found that over a third of motorists, 35.06%, have never broken the speed limit. However, male drivers were significantly more likely to have broken the speed limit while driving, with just 28.11% stating they had never sped compared to 40.08% of women. Over a quarter of male drivers surveyed admitted to breaking the limit within the past month, almost 8% higher than the number of female motorists who had …

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Clampdown on uninsured drivers

The Motor Insurers’ Bureau of Ireland (MIBI) is warning uninsured drivers they face major penalties if they do not meet their legal obligation to hold a valid insurance policy when driving. The penalties applying to uninsured drivers include having their vehicles seized on the spot, an automatic court appearance, five penalty points and a significant fine if they are caught driving without insurance. As well as these penalties, any accidents involving uninsured drivers will see the MIBI pursue the individuals involved for costs under their right of recovery. The MIBI issued this warning following a significant increase this year in the estimated number of uninsured private vehicles on Irish roads.As of the end of November there were over 151,000 uninsured private vehicles on Irish roads.This represents approximately 7.4% of the total 2,039,040 private vehicles in the Republic of Ireland. The MIBI figures also show the growing number and proportion of uninsured vehicles in Ireland over the last 6 years.In 2011 …

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AA advice on driving with children

With schools reopened, the AA is urging parents to take all precautions necessary when travelling with children, after 9% of drivers admitted to having been involved in collisions or near-misses while attending to a child in the car. An AA survey of almost 11,000 motorists found that 7.5% of drivers had been involved in one collision or a near miss as a result of a child’s behaviour while driving, with almost 2% of drivers experiencing multiple incidents. Drivers aged 36-45 are most likely to have been distracted by a child while driving, with just under 13% reporting involvement in at least one collision or near miss as a result a child’s behaviour. While female drivers are more likely to be involved in one incident as a result of being distracted by a child, they are slightly less likely than their male counterparts to be involved in multiple incidents. Misbehaviour, sudden, unexpected illnesses, and issues with car restraints were among the …

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Weather alert: Frost, sleet and snow

We can prepare for frost, sleet and snow is over the next few days, according to Met Éireann. Showery rain will develop near western coasts during this afternoon (Monday) with some sleet or wet snow this evening inland in western counties. Highest afternoon temperatures of 3 or 4 degrees C. in most areas, about 6 or 7 degrees C. on parts of the west coast. Tonight will be very cold and frosty and icy. Showery rain will occur on western and northern coasts overnight, with snow showers expected inland, these mostly affecting parts of Ulster, Connacht and west Munster. Minimum temperatures 0 to minus 5 Celsius with the risk of some freezing fog patches in some eastern areas Tomorrow, Tuesday will be cold and wintry in places in the morning with widespread frost and ice. A mix of hail, sleet and snow showers in places, but these will become confined to western and northern coastal areas in the afternoon and …

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Summer motoring with the ‘Champion

This week’s edition of  The  Clare Champion is not one to be missed by anybody who owns a car. Our 20-page Summer Motoring supplement has something for everybody, from those who drive a modest  small car to those who own or aspire to getting behind the wheel of a top of the range model. The supplement, our second annual edition, gives valuable information and tips on buying a car. Not only does it deal with the mechanics of the car or the exterior and interior specs but also with fiance and leasing options. With an ever increasing emphasis on reducing our carbon footprint, there is a feature on green driving As the title suggests, Summer Motoring  has plenty to whet the appetite about the joys of motoring in dry and sunny conditions, whether on holidays at home or abroad, or on a day trip  in the countryside.  

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