Road Traffic Act 1994

Number 7 of 1994

ROAD TRAFFIC ACT 1994

REVISED

Updated to 31 July 2023

This Revised Act is an administrative consolidation of the Road Traffic Act 1994. It is prepared by the Law Reform Commission in accordance with its function under the Law Reform Commission Act 1975 (3/1975) to keep the law under review and to undertake revision and consolidation of statute law.

All Acts up to and including the Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2023 (25/2023), enacted 20 July 2023, and all statutory instruments up to and including the Road Traffic and Roads Act 2023 (Commencement) (No. 2) Order 2023 (S.I. No. 392 of 2023), made 28 July 2023, were considered in the preparation of this Revised Act.

Disclaimer: While every care has been taken in the preparation of this Revised Act, the Law Reform Commission can assume no responsibility for and give no guarantees, undertakings or warranties concerning the accuracy, completeness or up to date nature of the information provided and does not accept any liability whatsoever arising from any errors or omissions. Please notify any errors, omissions and comments by email to

revisedacts@lawreform.ie.

Number 7 of 1994


ROAD TRAFFIC ACT 1994

REVISED

Updated to 31 July 2023


ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS

PART I

Preliminary and General

Section

1.

Short title, commencement, construction and collective citation.

2.

Interpretation.

3.

Regulations.

4.

Repeals.

PART II

The Bureau

5.

Definitions for Part V of Act of 1968. (Repealed)

6.

Functions and duties of Bureau. (Repealed)

7.

Functions of Director. (Repealed)

8.

Protection of Director, etc., against legal proceedings. (Repealed)

PART III

Driving Offences

9.

Interpretation of Part III.

10.

Prohibition on driving vehicle while under influence of intoxicant. (Repealed)

11.

Prohibition on being in charge of vehicle while under influence of intoxicant. (Repealed)

12.

Obligation to provide preliminary breath specimen.

13.

Obligation to provide specimen following arrest.

14.

Obligation to accompany member to Garda Síochána station, not under arrest, to provide blood or urine specimen. (Repealed)

15.

Obligation to provide blood or urine specimen while in hospital. (Repealed)

16.

Detention of intoxicated drivers where a danger to selves or others. (Repealed)

17.

Procedure following provision of breath specimen under section 13. (Repealed)

18.

Procedure regarding taking of specimens of blood and provision of specimens of urine.

19.

Procedure at Bureau regarding specimens.

20.

Provisions regarding certain evidence in prosecutions under sections 49 and 50 of Principal Act.

21.

Provisions regarding certain evidence in proceedings under Road Traffic Acts, 1961 to 1994.

22.

Costs of prosecutions under sections 49 and 50 of Principal Act and Part III.

23.

Defence to refusal to permit taking of specimen of blood or to provide 2 specimens of breath.

24.

Bar to certain defence to charges under sections 49 and 50 of Principal Act.

PART IV

Driving Licences

25.

Requirement to carry driving licence while driving vehicle. (Repealed)

26.

Consequential disqualification orders. (Repealed)

27.

Amendment of provisions relating to removal of consequential disqualification orders.

28.

Provision of particulars of disqualifications to certain persons.

29.

Application of provisions of Principal Act to provisional licences.

PART V

Speed Limits

30.

Amendment of section 44A of Principal Act.

31.

Motorway speed limit.

32.

Amendment of section 45 of Principal Act.

33.

Special speed limits.

34.

Amendment of section 47 of Principal Act.

PART VI

Regulation of Traffic

35.

Regulations for general control of traffic and pedestrians.

35A.

Regulations for control of certain vehicles.

36.

Parking of vehicles in parking places on public roads.

36A.

Bye-laws for restriction on parking—specified events.

36B.

Inspection of permits.

37.

Amendment of section 95 of Principal Act.

38.

Traffic calming measures.

PART VII

Miscellaneous

39.

Powers of entry.

40.

Amendment of Road Vehicles (Registration and Licensing) Order, 1958.

41.

Detention of vehicles.

42.

Power of road authority to provide and maintain certain equipment, etc. on public roads. (Repealed)

43.

Amendment of section 103 of Principal Act.

44.

Amendment of section 105 of Principal Act.

45.

Amendment of section 106 of Principal Act.

46.

Amendment of section 107 of Principal Act.

47.

Amendment of section 9 of Principal Act.

48.

Summary proceedings.

49.

Minor and consequential amendments.


Number 7 of 1994


ROAD TRAFFIC ACT 1994

REVISED

Updated to 31 July 2023


AN ACT TO AMEND AND EXTEND THE ROAD TRAFFIC ACTS, 1961 TO 1987. [20th April, 1994]

BE IT ENACTED BY THE OIREACHTAS AS FOLLOWS:

Annotations

Modifications (not altering text):

C1

Medical Bureau of Road Safety is listed as a partly excluded agency in relation to certain records (14.10.2014) by Freedom of Information Act 2014 (30/2014), s. 6 and sch. 1 part 1, commenced as per s. 1(2).

Public bodies

6. ...

(2) (a) An entity specified in Part 1 of Schedule 1 (“the parent entity”) shall, subject to the provisions of that Part, be a public body for the purposes of this Act.

...

SCHEDULE 1

Part 1

Partially Included Agencies

Section 6 does not include a reference to— ...

(u) the Medical Bureau of Road Safety, insofar as it relates to records concerning, or arising from, the forensic criminal investigation functions performed by the Bureau under the Road Traffic Acts 1961 to 2014, including the analysis of specimens and the approval, supply, testing and maintenance of apparatus and of equipment used for the purpose of those Acts;

...

C2

Application of collectively cited Road Traffic Acts 1961 to 2010 restricted (28.10.2011) by Road Traffic Act 2010 (25/2010), s. 87(1), S.I. No. 543 of 2011, as substituted (20.03.2014) by Road Traffic Act 2014 (3/2014), s. 23, S.I. No. 147 of 2014.

Exemptions for emergency vehicles.

87.[(1) Requirements under the Road Traffic Acts 1961 to 2010 relating to vehicles and requirements, restrictions and prohibitions relating to the driving and use of vehicles, other than those provided under sections 49, 50, 51A, 52 and 53 of the Principal Act, sections 12, 13 and 15 of the Act of 1994 and sections 4, 5, 11, 12 and 14 of this Act, do not apply to—

(a) the driving or use by a member of the Garda Síochána, an ambulance service (provided by a pre-hospital emergency care service provider recognised by the Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council established by the Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council (Establishment) Order 2000 (S.I. No. 109 of 2000)) or a fire brigade of a fire authority (within the meaning of the Fire Services Act 1981) of a vehicle in the performance of the duties of that member, or

(b) a person driving or using a vehicle under the direction of a member of the Garda Síochána,

where such use does not endanger the safety of road users.]

C3

Application of collectively cited Road Traffic Acts 1961 to 2010 restricted (21.09.2011) by European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011 (S.I. No. 477 of 2011), regs. 1(3), 42(22), sch. 2.

42.— ...

(22) Notwithstanding any provision of any statute listed in the Second Schedule that provides for the consent for a plan or project to which this Regulation applies to be obtained by default on the failure of the public authority to provide a response within a specified timescale or otherwise, that provision shall not have effect in respect of any plan or project to which this Regulation applies.

...

SECOND SCHEDULE

Number

Year

Short Title/Citation

...

...

...

...

...

Road Traffic Acts 1961 to 2010

...

C4

Term “Commissioner” construed (1.06.2011) by Road Traffic Act 2010 (25/2010), s. 83(1), S.I. No. 255 of 2011.

Functions of Commissioner of Garda Síochána.

83.— (1) Any reference to the Commissioner in the Road Traffic Acts 1961 to 2010 or the Roads Acts 1993 to 2007 is to be read as a reference to the Commissioner or another member of the Garda Síochána not below the rank of Chief Superintendent authorised by the Commissioner to act or carry out a function or requirement on his or her behalf.

...

C5

Collectively cited Road Traffic Acts 1961 to 2010 exempted from application of Freedom of Information Act 1997 by Freedom of Information Act 1997 (13/1997), s. 46(1)(bb) as inserted (9.08.2010) by Road Traffic Act 2010 (25/2010), s. 26(5), S.I. No. 394 of 2010.

Restriction of Act.

46.—(1) This Act does not apply to— ...

[(bb) a record held or created by the Medical Bureau of Road Safety under the Road Traffic Acts 1961 to 2010 (other than a record concerning the general administration of the Medical Bureau of Road Safety),]

...

C6

Application of collectively cited Road Traffic Acts 1961 to 2006 restricted (4.05.2009) by Road Traffic (Specialised Vehicle Permits) Regulations 2009 (S.I. No. 147 of 2009), reg. 6(1)(b)(ii), in operation as per reg. 2.

Grant of specialised vehicle permits

6. (1) The Permits Officer may grant a specialised vehicle permit if— ...

(b) he or she is satisfied that— ...

(ii) the vehicle and that operation will not otherwise contravene the Road Traffic Acts 1961 to 2006, Regulations made under those Acts, or any other law.

...

C7

Term “provisional licence” construed (30.10.2007) by Road Traffic Act 2006 (23/2006), s. 11(3), S.I. No. 718 of 2007.

Learner permit.

11.— ...

(3) A reference to a provisional licence in the Road Traffic Acts 1961 to 2006 or an instrument made thereunder is to be read as a reference to a learner permit.

...

C8

Application of collectively cited Road Traffic Acts 1961 to 2006 extended (21.07.2006) by Road Traffic Act 2006 (23/2006), s. 2, S.I. No. 384 of 2006.

Regulations to give effect to acts of European Communities.

2.— The power to make regulations under the Road Traffic Acts 1961 to 2006 includes the power to make provision in such regulations to give effect to—

(a) a provision of the treaties of the European Communities, or

(b) an act adopted by an institution of those Communities.

C9

Application of collectively cited Road Traffic Acts 1961 to 2002 modified by Local Authorities (Traffic Wardens) Act 1975 (14/1975), s. 3(1), as substituted (3.04.2006) by Road Traffic Act 2002 (12/2002), s. 12(1), S.I. No. 134 of 2006.

Provisions applying to certain offences relating to vehicles.

[3.—(1) (a) This section applies to such of the offences specified in paragraph (b) as may be declared by the Minister by regulations made after consultation with the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to be fixed charge offences and an offence standing so declared is referred to in this section as a fixed charge offence.

(b) The offences referred to in paragraph (a) of this section are:

(i) an offence under the Road Traffic Acts, 1961 to 2002, relating to the prohibition or restriction of the stopping or parking of mechanically propelled vehicles,

...]

C10

Application of collectively cited Road Traffic Acts 1961 to 2004 restricted (24.01.2005) by Road Traffic Act 2004 (44/2004), s. 27, S.I. No. 26 of 2005.

Exemptions for emergency vehicles.

27.—Requirements under the Road Traffic Acts 1961 to 2004 relating to vehicles and requirements, restrictions and prohibitions relating to the driving and use of vehicles, other than those provided under sections 49 and 50 (inserted by sections 10 and 11, respectively, of the Act of 1994), 51A and 52 (inserted by sections 49 and 50, respectively, of the Act of 1968) and 53 of the Principal Act and sections 12, 13, 14 and 15 of the Act of 1994, do not apply to a driver of a fire brigade vehicle, an ambulance or the use by a member of the Garda Síochána of a vehicle in the performance of the duties of that member or a person driving or using a vehicle under the direction of a member of the Garda Síochána, where such use does not endanger the safety of road users.

C11

Application of collectively cited Road Traffic Acts 1961 to 2004 restricted (24.01.2005) by Road Traffic Act 2004 (44/2004), s. 27, S.I. No. 26 of 2005.

Exemptions for emergency vehicles.

27.—Requirements under the Road Traffic Acts 1961 to 2004 relating to vehicles and requirements, restrictions and prohibitions relating to the driving and use of vehicles, other than those provided under sections 49 and 50 (inserted by sections 10 and 11, respectively, of the Act of 1994), 51A and 52 (inserted by sections 49 and 50, respectively, of the Act of 1968) and 53 of the Principal Act and sections 12, 13, 14 and 15 of the Act of 1994, do not apply to a driver of a fire brigade vehicle, an ambulance or the use by a member of the Garda Síochána of a vehicle in the performance of the duties of that member or a person driving or using a vehicle under the direction of a member of the Garda Síochána, where such use does not endanger the safety of road users.

C12

Functions in relation to collectively cited Road Traffic Acts 1961 to 2002 transferred from Department of and Minister for Environment and Local Government to Department of and Minister for Public Enterprise and terms construed (18.06.2002) by National Roads and Road Traffic (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2002 (S.I. No. 298 of 2002). Note: name of Department of and Minister for Public Enterprise changed to Department of and Minister for Transport (19.06.2002) by Public Enterprise (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2002 (S.I. No. 305 of 2002); name further changed to Department of and Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport (2.04.2011) by Transport (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2011 (S.I. No. 141 of 2011).

3.(1) The administration and business in connection with the exercise, performance or execution of any functions transferred by Article 4 of this Order are transferred to the Department of Public Enterprise.

(2) References to the Department of the Environment and Local Government contained in any Act or instrument made thereunder and relating to any administration and business transferred by paragraph (1) of this Article shall, on and after the commencement of this Order, be construed as references to the Department of Public Enterprise.

4.(1) The functions vested in the Minister for the Environment and Local Government—

(a) by or under—

(i) the Road Traffic Acts 1961 to 2002,

...

are transferred to the Minister for Public Enterprise.

(2) References to the Minister for the Environment and Local Government contained in any Act or instrument made thereunder and relating to any functions transferred by this Article shall, on and after the commencement of this Order, be construed as references to the Minister for Public Enterprise.

C13

Terms “road” and “public place” construed (11.09.1998) by Air Navigation and Transport (Amendment) Act 1998 (24/1998), s. 59, S.I. No. 327 of 1998.

Road for purposes of Road Traffic Acts, 1961 to 1995.

59.—For the avoidance of doubt it is hereby declared that—

(a) the word “road” includes, for the purposes of the provisions of the Road Traffic Acts, 1961 to 1995, or any regulations made thereunder, a road in a State airport, and

(b) a State airport is, for the purposes of any enactment, a public place.

C14

Application of collectively cited Road Traffic Acts 1961 to 1987 modified (1.01.1994) by Roads Act 1993 (14/1993), ss. 17(4), 23(1), S.I. No. 406 of 1993.

Functions generally of the Authority.

17.—...

(4) The Minister may make regulations providing that any function relating to national roads conferred on him or on a road authority under any enactment (including this Act), or on the Commissioner under the Road Traffic Acts, 1961 to 1987, shall, where the Minister is satisfied that the function could be more effectively performed by the Authority, in lieu of being performed by him or by that authority or by the Commissioner, be performed by the Authority with effect from a date specified in the regulations.

...

The Authority and traffic management.

23.—(1) The Authority may at any time make recommendations in writing to the Commissioner in relation to the performance of his functions under the Road Traffic Acts, 1961 to 1987 and the Commissioner shall have regard to such recommendations in the performance of his functions.

...

C15

Term “class of mechanically propelled vehicles” in collectively cited Road Traffic Acts 1961 to 1984 construed (7.11.1989) by European Communities (Licensing of Drivers) Regulations 1989 (S.I. No. 287 of 1989), reg. 2.

2. A reference in the Road Traffic Acts, 1961 to 1984, to a class of mechanically propelled vehicles shall be construed as a reference to a class or category of such vehicles and cognate words and expressions shall be construed accordingly.

Editorial Notes:

E1

Prospective affecting provision: procedure prescribed for costs relating to offences under collectively cited Road Traffic Acts 1961 to 2010 by Road Traffic Act 2010 (25/2010), s. 82, not commenced as of date of revision.