Ireland’s Garda Commissioner has proposed a new road traffic offence with on-the-spot fines to penalise drivers who fail to carry safety items in their cars while driving.
The gardaí (police) want to make it an offence for drivers not to have a working torch, breakdown triangle, high-visibility vest, first-aid kit and a fire extinguisher at all times while driving.
The items would cost Irish drivers around EUR40-50.
The mandatory requirement of emergency packs is intended to improving road safety, particularly in rural areas where emergency services struggle to reach collisions in a timely manner.
The new rule would be similar to one that applies in France.