A senior PSNI officer has called for stronger deterrents for driving-related crimes stating that current fixed penalty notices are not enough and expressed a frustration that penalties handed down by courts in Northern Ireland are insufficient. 

Chief Inspector Sam Donaldson, of the PSNI’s operational support department, was speaking to Stormont’s Infrastructure Committee in a meeting in June when he made the remarks. 

He told the committee, whose chairperson is Fermanagh and South Tyrone DUP MLA Deborah Erskine that: “I wouldn’t be doing justice to the Police Service or myself if I said the deterrents were sufficient—they are not.”

"I have to respect the courts, but it can be frustrating when consequences seem insufficient. For example, disqualified drivers who are repeatedly caught—if the consequences are insufficient in my mind, they may be insufficient in yours too."

One issue in his evidence to the committee that he focused on was drink-driving: “In late 2023, we ran a four-week drink-driving campaign, during which 600 individuals were arrested for getting behind the wheel with alcohol or drugs in their system," said Chief Inspector Donaldson.

"600 people in just four weeks—this isn’t the total number of those driving under the influence, but it's the number of those caught. That figure is horrendous and shows that people are still willing to take the risk and endanger lives."

He expressed a deep frustration over the ongoing issue of drink-driving.

"Every time someone asks me, 'How many drinks can I have before I drive?' I shudder, because I wish that I had a pound for every person who has asked me," he said.

"The answer is simple: None."

Inspector Donaldson told the committee: "If you're ever asked that question, I plead with you to respond, 'None.'

"The legal alcohol limit is currently 80mg per 100 ml of blood, but we are considering reducing it further. 

“There's even an argument that it should be zero, and discussions are ongoing about equipping vehicles with breath-testing devices that prevent them from starting if the driver is impaired. That kind of technology is what we should be aiming for in the long term."

Focusing on penalties for those caught breaking the law he said: "It’s been a long time since the fee for fixed penalty notices was raised, and we're having early discussions with the Department for Infrastructure about increasing those fines. I know this won’t be popular, but the current penalties are not effective enough in deterring dangerous behaviour on our roads."

The underlying issue, the senior officer suggested, is that many people don't understand the full consequences of their actions on the road. 

"The biggest problem is that people don’t think it will happen to them," he said.

"Even when caught speeding, many view breaking traffic laws as less serious than breaking criminal laws. But these are all breaches of the law, and they all carry significant consequences. We need to shift that mindset and ensure people recognize the gravity of their actions."