Penalty points shambles

The 31 new "penalty point offences" to be introduced on Monday, 3 April, provide for two penalty points for driving a vehicle on a motorway against the flow of traffic.

Two penalty points are also awarded for crossing a continuous white line. How conceivably could crossing a continuous white line be regarded in the same category of seriousness as driving a vehicle on a motorway against the flow of traffic?

One penalty point is to be imposed for "failing to turn left on a roundabout", the same penalty that applies to driving on a cycle track. Failing to turn left on a roundabout is almost certain to lead to an accident (unless one drives over the roundabout or one simply stops at the roundabout), driving on a cycle track may be an inconvenience for cyclists but may not be even that. So how come do the two attract the same penalty points?

Failure to drive on the left hand side of the road attracts how many penalty points? Five, ten, fifteen, disqualification from driving? One penalty point!

Vincent Browne