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A penalty points regime for tyre safety introduced two years ago in Ireland has been poorly enforced, according to a major tyre distributor, writes Brian Byrne . An analysis of penalty points statistics undertaken by Continental Tyre Group shows that only 231 motorists in Ireland have been given penalty points for driving on tyres below the 1.6mm legal tread limit. This compares with the company's studies which show that one in six vehicles on Irish roads are being driven with at least one tyre on or below the legal limit. Tom Dennigan of Continental Tyres Ireland says that an average of just 10 motorists per month detected with dangerously low tread depth is, by any standards, 'a woeful level of enforcement' that is 'truly worrying'.

The Face it Down mobile phone road safety campaign by Toyota and the Road Safety Authority has led to the creation of a new 'national week', the National Face It Down Awareness Week, writes Brian Byrne . During this week, from 23-27 April, motorists using the Face it Down app will earn double points for every journey, which can be redeemed at Topaz service stations for coffee, and for insurance discounts from FBD Insurance. The app was launched by Toyota last year, and some 12m kilometres have been travelled by motorists using it. It has been downloaded more than 42,000 times.

An appeal for 'biking safe' through the summer has been made to motorcyclists by the Road Safety Authority, writes Brian Byrne . In conjunction with An Garda, the RSA is asking bikers to 'ease off the throttle' and keep within speed limits, and never to drink and drive. Summer is high risk for motorcyclists, according to the Authority, especially at weekends. Since 2010, 168 motorcyclists and been killed on Irish roads, and 629 seriously injured.