Online reporting of dangerus driving.

Oscar_Madison

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122481354#Comment_122481354

Mad- outside of accidents I never knew reporting dangerous driving was a thing people did much no less that prosecutions followed because of it - I reported an obvious drunk/druggie driver about 10 years ago- he nearly caused about 3 accidents in about two mins -rang the local Garda station to warn them the car was heading their way - didn’t have dash cam at the time - of course no guard available - never heard anything since - so from your story anyway looks like such reports do work?

Claw Hammer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122481354#Comment_122481354

Your statement is not the evidence. The oral testimony you give in court is the evidence.

Seth Brundle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122495101#Comment_122495101

My understanding is that a statement is evidence (at least in criminal cases...)

21.—(1) In any proceedings against a person for an offence, other than the preliminary examination of an indictable offence, a written statement by any person shall, if such of the conditions mentioned in subsection (2) as are applicable are satisfied, be admissible as evidence to the like extent as oral evidence to the like effect by that person.

https://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1984/act/22/section/21/enacted/en/html#:~:text=%E2%80%94(1)%20In%20any%20proceedings,as%20oral%20evidence%20to%20the

Claw Hammer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122495123#Comment_122495123

There has to be an application to have it admitted in lieu of the oral evidence. That happens when a witness says they can't remember the incident.

Donald Trump

Is there anywhere online to report dangerus spelling?

______________________________________

Warned: Off topic, trolling comment

kippy

May have been said already but it's a complete nonsense. Some PR/Spin merchant has advised that it will look good to bring in something like this but behind it all is fluff. Even a person with a basic level of critical thinking will see this for what it is.

They want to improve road safety? Enforce current laws properly, put resources towards that.

magicbastarder

the 'enforce current laws properly' argument is usually most applicable when there's mention of creating new laws or increasing penalty points etc.

but if a more efficient system was devised to allow people to report dangerous driving, this by its very nature would be a means of enforcing the current laws more effectively.

JVince

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122478168#Comment_122478168

That is in development. I believe it will launch late 2025

It will follow the UK system where you can upload video and provide an online statement.

Most issues are dealt with by fixed penalty, a warning or a restraining obligation.

Less than 2% go to court

https://nextbase.co.uk/national-dash-cam-safety-portal/

AndrewJRenko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122495588#Comment_122495588

Garda have said that the proposed new portal will not allow for online statements. In person, hand written statements will still be required. The portal only handles the video submission.

Which will make it an operational disaster.

Tow

It saves on the guard having to phone you (months later in my experience), to give you their email address to send your photos/videos to. So in their point of view it is an improvement over the old system.

JVince

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122501348#Comment_122501348

You didn't read the post and are mixing up the service just launched and a PROPOSED new service that they hope to have ready for early 2026 (originally they had planned 2025)

This will be based on the UK system and will take online statements if gardai think a prosecution is warranted.

It is part a new digital strategy that will include ability to take online statements for most prosecutions and finally do away with pen and paper.

Tow

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122501857#Comment_122501857

The Revenue have taken online statements for suspected tax evasion for years.

Dogsdodogsstuff

People who tailgate , particularly at fast speeds are assh*les. Just needed to say it.

AndrewJRenko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122501857#Comment_122501857

I'm not the one mixed up here.

https://irishcycle.com/2023/12/30/online-portal-road-traffic-offences-footage-will-require-reporting-incidents-in-garda-stations/

magicbastarder

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122502003#Comment_122502003

do they also then follow up with their own investigation? those statement are alerting them to possible tax evasion, rather than evidence in and of itself.

it's probably mixing up two different meanings of the word 'statement'.

whippet

A few years back I called the Traffic Watch number over an incident of road rage. It was a nasty enough one- where the other driver got out of the car and wanted me to get out of mine and have a proper digging match on the road side. I had kids in the car so obviously refused his request. He tried to open the door etc.

The incident was all based around a dangerous manoeuvre he did to cut across a couple of lanes of traffic and almost hit another car before causing me to hit the anchors and almost get rear ended.

I heard nothing for about a month and then got a call from the local guards who had asked me to call down to the station. Following on from the report they gathered CCTV from the area and when I got in the asked me to write a statement as to what I saw etc.

Unfortunately the reg of the car involved was actually a totally false reg plate and while the guards had a fair idea who the lad was they couldn't move it any further along. I would have had to give evidence in any legal proceedings as I'd have to swear by my statement.

Another time about 10 years ago I a car pulled out in front of me about 9pm one evening - all over the road; quite obviously pissed. I called the Traffic Watch number and gave them the info. about 5 miles up the road the car pulled in to the carpark of the local chipper. I was going to the pub across the road. When the lad left the chipper with his bag of grease there was a couple of lads in uniform waiting for him to get in to the car and quickly intervened.

Tow

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122502106#Comment_122502106

I have been told they love such reports and follow up on them. They feed everything in to Customer Risk Analysis System (REAP) and such a report I am sure would push a customer up the list for a 'compliance intervention'.

magicbastarder

Yes, but it's not a statement in the same way reporting a driver is a statement, so the fact that they can take them online is not the same.

AndrewJRenko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122502155#Comment_122502155

Traffic Watch isn't intended for use for live incidents like your drunk driver. Use 112 or call your local station for that.

whippet

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122502441#Comment_122502441

I know that now - but this was a decade or so ago - and they transferred me to the local station. Regardless positive result

Woodcutting

I gave a garda a USB with dash cam of an artic truck that crossed white line overtaking and forced me into the ditch

Never saw cop or USB again. Couldn't bother following pathetic cops up

JVince

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122502071#Comment_122502071

I know for a fact that online statements will be incorporated into it. And it was also mentioned in one of the press releases last April.

AndrewJRenko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122505587#Comment_122505587

That directly contradicts their previous public statements. That would require changes to legislation. Are these changes on the legislative agenda for the Department?

Which press release are you talking about?

https://www.garda.ie/en/about-us/our-departments/office-of-corporate-communications/press-releases/2024/april/