A vehicle was seized and fixed charge penalties were issued to a driver who was stopped by Gardaí near Ballyhooly on Thursday last, September 21.
The vehicle, pulling a trailer loaded with straw bales, approached an MIT (mandatory intoxicant testing) checkpoint. According to a statement issued by Gardaí, the ‘eagle-eyed’ Roads Policing Gardaí based in Mitchelstown ‘had a feeling something wasn’t quite right’.
‘THE LAST STRAW’
Gardaí observed that the trailer was overloaded and on inspection, that the load was not properly secured. The driver of the vehicle was also found to be an unaccompanied learner driver.
“The trailer was clearly overloaded and the driver failed to ensure that the straw bales were secured properly, maybe because he was unaccompanied while holding a learner permit. This was the last straw, so the vehicle was seized and fixed charge penalties issued,” Gardaí stated.
Gardaí have issued a reminder to motorists that it is their responsibility to ensure that their vehicle and the loads they carry are safe and that other road users can observe lights and signalling.
Motorists are also reminded that carrying extra weight impacts on how their vehicle responds and increases stopping distances.
