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	Plan to overhaul road traffic legislation comes amid anger over conviction rate</p>
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	The Government is planning the biggest overhaul of road traffic legislation in 50 years as part of a fresh effort to crack down on drink-driving and other safety concerns.</p>
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	The Irish Times reported on Monday that six out of 10 people due before the courts for drink-driving were able to escape without a conviction.</p>
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	Many solicitors say the low conviction rate is linked to technicalities and loopholes in the law, as well as issues such as Garda resources.</p>
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	A spokeswoman for Minister for Transport Paschal Donohoe said the Government is planning to consolidate a complex mix of primary and secondary legislation dating back to the early 1960s.</p>
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	In the meantime, officials are focusing on the enactment of the Road Traffic Bill (2015) which will introduce roadside testing for drugs similar to those used to test for alcohol.</p>
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	Road safety campaigners have long called for a root-and-branch review of road traffic legislation.</p>
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	Susan Gray of the Parc road safety campaign said: &ldquo;The system is broken and the sad fact remains that many more lives will be lost &ndash; and many others will be horribly injured &ndash; as a result of foot-dragging.&rdquo;</p>
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	She said a forensic review of legislation is needed to ensure drivers are not able to escape conviction on technicalities.</p>
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	Liz O&rsquo;Donnell, chairwoman of the Road Safety Authority, has also expressed support for an overhaul of road traffic legislation to help ensure there are fewer loopholes available to drivers.</p>
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	New approach</p>
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	Former minister for transport Noel Dempsey said a new approach to road traffic law was required as a pattern had emerged of the department bringing forward a new Act every two to three years to catch up with the latest loopholes. &ldquo;I think we need to start again and simplify and consolidate the Road Traffic Acts. I don&rsquo;t think you can fix what is there because of the way the processes have developed around these cases,&rdquo; he said.</p>
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	But solicitors with expertise in road traffic law were sceptical that an overhaul of the law will have a significant impact on conviction rates for drink-drinking. Evan O&rsquo;Dwyer, a defence solicitor who specialises in road traffic offences, said whatever legislation is drafted will continue to face robust legal challenge.</p>
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	&ldquo;There is so much at stake for drivers who risk losing their licences for two or three year that they will test all aspects of their case,&rdquo; Mr O&rsquo;Dwyer said.</p>
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	Source of dispute</p>
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	However, the volume of drink-driving cases resulting in non-convictions is a source of dispute among some solicitors.</p>
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	Charlie O&rsquo;Connor, who has been in practice for more than 30 years in Cork, Kerry and Limerick, said he was astonished by the low conviction figures.</p>
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	&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t believe them to be accurate &ndash; the only way that those figures can be accurate is if they include cases that are adjourned or pending because there are just not that many acquittals,&rdquo; he said.</p>
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	&ldquo;Defendants in the majority of drink-driving cases plead guilty, well less than half are contested and of those very few are won, particularly since the introduction of the intoxilyzer.&rdquo;</p>
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	The figures on conviction rates were supplied through a parliamentary question tabled by Tommy Broughan TD.</p>
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	They show that out of more than 20,000 people due before district courts for drink-driving between January 2013 and May 2015, a total of 6,709 were convicted.</p>
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	The conviction rate here compares unfavourably with England and Wales, where 97 per cent of drink-driving cases brought before magistrates&rsquo; courts result in conviction.</p>
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	<a href="http://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/change-in-laws-to-crack-down-on-drink-driving-1.2398029">http://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/change-in-laws-to-crack-down-on-drink-driving-1.2398029</a></p>
