Steady increase in motorists caught using phones ‘very worrying’, says Cork TD

A Cork TD has described as “very worrying” the national garda figures that show stubbornly high numbers of motorists being caught using a mobile phone while driving on Irish roads.

Those figures, which show a steady increase in charges for mobile phone use over three years, were released by gardaí following a parliamentary question from Fianna Fáil TD for Cork North Central Pádraig O’Sullivan.

Mr O’Sullivan had asked justice minister Jim O’Callaghan for the number of driving offences relating to mobile phone usage recorded in 2022, 2023, 2024, and to date in 2025.

The garda figures show that, in 2022, 18,609 people across the country were issued with fixed-charge notices for mobile use while driving.

In 2023, 19,106 motorists were given fixed-charge notices for mobile use, a year-on-year increase of 3%.

In 2024, 21,888 drivers were fined for mobile use, a 15% year-on-year rise.

Over the first three months of this year, 6,073 people were issued with fixed-charge notices for mobile use while driving.

Mr O’Sullivan said the steady increase in numbers from 2022 to 2024 was very concerning, but more concerning was that the figures for the first three months of 2025 — which showed that the numbers of fixed-penalty notices for use of mobile phones while driving were likely to exceed those for last year.

“I see it every day as I drive the roads of my own constituency and the motorway to Leinster House. The prevalence and acceptance of these habits when behind the wheel is extremely concerning,” he said.

“I personally believe phone use is largely attributable to the increase in motor accidents as a whole.”

Mr O’Sullivan noted that, over the Easter bank holiday, “figures received show, in one weekend, 225 fixed-charge offences were issued”. He added: “If that level of garda operations was done every weekend, the possible number of offences would be enormous.

“That weekend’s operations would be one of the more significant garda operations annually, but it is extremely concerning to see the prevalence once again that shows that the casual use of the mobile phone while driving has become the norm for so many people.”

As of Friday, May 2, garda figures showed 54 traffic fatalities in Ireland so far this year, which is down one on the same date last year.

In 2024, a total of 174 people lost their lives on the roads — seven fewer than in 2023.