Gardai stop overloaded five seater van carrying nine passengers, including kids, without seatbelts

Officers on patrol in Offaly were shocked when they spotted a van carrying nine passengers, including three children, without seatbelts in a five seater van - with an extra seat added in

By: irishmirror.ie

Jan 02 2025
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Gardai stop overloaded five se

Gardaí nabbed a five seater van carrying nine people, including children, none of whom were wearing seatbelts.

Officers on patrol in Offaly attached to the Roads Policing Unit stopped the vehicle on New Year’s Day afternoon, only after they spotted too many passengers shoved into the front seat.

If this wasn’t dangerous enough, the Gardaí noticed that all nine passengers, including three children, aged two, nine and 10, did not have their seatbelts fastened.

To make matters worse, the audacious motorist appears to have added a folding chair into the back of the van as an extra seat, which Gardaí slammed as “extremely dangerous - to put it mildly”.

A Garda spokesperson wrote: “Offaly Roads Policing Unit stopped this van this afternoon after they noticed there were too many front seat passengers.

Gardaí spotted the van was overloaded (Image: Gardaí/X)

“When pulled in, they confirmed there were nine people including three children aged 10, nine and two travelling in the five seater-vehicle.”

They added: “None of the nine passengers were wearing seatbelts and the chair added in the back was extremely dangerous - to put it mildly.”

This driver is going to face a hefty fine and a slew of penalty points after this incident.

Gardaí saw the van had an extra seat added into it (Image: Gardaí/X)

If seat belts are fitted, they must be worn by both drivers and passengers. The driver is responsible for ensuring that passengers under 17 are suitably restrained.

You can be fined €120 if you do not wear a seat belt. You must either pay this fine within 28 days or face an increased fine of €180 payable within 56 days of the offence.

Three penalty points will be added to your licence if you choose to pay the fine and not to go to court. However, if you are convicted in court for not wearing a seatbelt, five penalty points will be added to your licence and you could be fined €2,000.

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