Due to an uncertified speed camera in County Mayo, gardaí have announced that over 1,800 speeding fines, including 923 paid fines, will be cancelled, reports Breaking News.
The gardaí started writing to drivers on Friday to let them know that the penalties and penalty points they had received for speeding violations on the N17 close to Claremorris will be removed.
Between December 20 of last year and February 12 of this year, the N17 static speed safety camera system identified 1,871 speeding fixed charge notices, reports Breaking News.
800 notifications were paid, penalty points were imposed, and 123 of the 1,871 fixed charge notices that were issued were paid.
The Gardaí stated they would give refunds in situations where the penalties were paid.
Before the mistake was discovered, none of the 948 notifications that were still in effect were paid, reports Breaking News.
On February 12th, safety camera supplier GoSafe noted a problem and stated that the N17’s static speed camera was “fully functional and accurately identifying offences, but not certified.”
It said that the camera’s radar component’s certification had expired.
The problem started when a camera was replaced with a new one that lacked a valid certificate of calibration after it was discovered during testing to have a defective focus mechanism, reports Breaking News.
Following the identification of this problem, the camera was approved on February 13 and has been in use since February 14.
Since February 14th, the speed safety camera system on the N17 has given more than 230 legitimate speeding penalties.
According to the Gardaí, all calibration certifications for cameras used in safety camera vans, at ordinary speeds, and in static sites are still valid, reports Breaking News.
Instead of requesting confirmation of camera calibration certification at the prosecution stage, a Garda Síochána stated it will henceforth do so when cameras are installed and/or replaced.
Additionally, it stated that GoSafe has implemented safeguards against recurrence, such as weekly verification of each speed safety camera’s certification status, reports Breaking News.
Chief Superintendent Jane Humphries expressed her sincere remorse for the mistake.
She added: “An Garda Síochána is committed to reducing road deaths and serious injuries through enforcement of speeding via a variety of speed safety cameras. The level of speeding breaches issued since the camera went operational on December 20th, 2024 demonstrates the continued need for all motorists using this road to slow down,” reports Breaking News.
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