A jeep driver towing a trailer is set for a day in their local district court after Gardaí brought them to a halt earlier today (Tuesday, August 17th).
Mitchelstown Roads Policing detected a 4×4 travelling at 113km/h on the M8 near Fermoy this afternoon.
When highlighting the case on social media, Gardaí reminded the public that the “limit for vehicles towing a trailer (regardless of what the trailer is) is 80km/h”.
Gardaí issued a speeding ticket for this offence but made a further discovery.
A spokesperson for Garda Síochána – Cork, Kerry & Limerick – Southern Region, said:
“It also transpired that the driver did not hold the required driving licence for this vehicle and will be travelling down the M8 again to visit the local district court in the near future.”
Court for trailer and jeep driver
Meanwhile, another trailer and jeep driver will appear in court after Gardaí detected road traffic-related offences last week.
In a post on social media, a spokesperson for Cavan Monaghan Garda Division said:
“Earlier in the week, this vehicle was stopped by the Gardai in Bailieboro.”
“The legal gross combination weight of this jeep, trailer and load should not exceed six tonnes.”
“It turned out that the gross combination weight, in this case, was nine tonnes.”
“As can be seen, the excessive weight caused one of the tyres to fail. There were also no tail lights or brake lights on the trailer.”
“The vehicle and trailer were seized for a PSV inspection, and a prosecution will now follow,” the spokesperson added.
Rules of the road: Towing trailers
According to the RSA, a category B driving licence permits you to drive a car, van or 4 x 4, which has a maximum mass (as specified by the manufacturer) of not more than 3,500kg and is designed and constructed to carry no more than eight passengers in addition to the driver.
Furthermore, you may tow a trailer with a maximum mass (again as specified by the manufacturer) not greater than 750kg, or where the maximum mass is more than 750kg, the combined maximum mass of the towing vehicle and the trailer is not greater than 3,500kg.
A category B licence does not entitle the holder to tow a horsebox or a livestock trailer because the combined maximum mass would exceed 3,500kg.
The maximum speed limit for a vehicle towing a trailer is 80km/h. To note, this also applies on roads where the posted road sign speed limit is higher.
