Welcome to our Ireland Car Rental and Irish Information page. We have included here links to our Driving in Ireland pages which will provide all of the information you need to drive in Ireland. Roundabouts, Road Signs, Road Markings and general safety are all covered. Below we have itemised some useful information when renting your car with us and also lower down the page links to information you may require. We are fully aware of the importance of your car rental to you. If you are travelling on business or for pleasure we want to ensure that you receive the very best service and vehicle possible. Please browse through the following Frequently asked questions if you are looking for further detail on your impending car rental. We look forward to assisting you.

Irish Car Rentals Driving in Ireland - Road Safety

We want you to enjoy your car rental and visit to Ireland as much as possible. On this page we have detailed some, perhaps obvious, but necessary Road Safety Information.

Car Safety

Your Irish Car Rental's vehicle will be provided to you in good condition, you, as the driver of the vehicle are responsible for ensuring that the vehicle, whilst in your care, is roadworthy and safe. We would suggest checking, Tyres, Brakes, Vehicle operation, Lights and other essential items before driving the car. Irish Car Rentals vehicles are covered by a fully comprehensive AA roadside assistance cover. Should you experience difficulty or require more information please contact us immediately. Do Not Drive a vehicle which may be unsafe.

Drink Driving

Drink driving is not tolerated and severe penalties are imposed on people who have a legal reading of over 80mg per 100ml of blood. This equates to approximately one Pint of Beer. Please do not attempt to drive whilst under the influence of Alcohol. 

If you are arrested at the roadside for drink driving, the Garda is obliged to inform you in ordinary understandable language that you are being arrested for the offence of drink driving. You will be brought to a local Garda Station where you will be informed of your rights by a member in charge of the station. These rights include consulting with a solicitor but should be noted that failure to contact your solicitor will not excuse you from complying with the Garda's request for a sample of blood; urine or breath specimen.

If you provide a sample of blood or urine the sample will be divided into two containers in your presence and sealed. You will then be offered a sample of your choice and the remaining sample will be sent to the Medical Bureau of Road Safety for analysis. The results of the test will be posted to both yourself and to the Garda concerned. You may have your own sample independently analysed if you wish. If the alcohol level is shown to be over the legal amount then the Garda will summons you to appear in the District Court to answer the charge of drunken driving.

Similarly, if you provide a sample of your breath the intoxilyser machine will give two immediate print outs of the level of alcohol in your breath. You will be offered a choice of either read-out to retain for yourself and the other will be used by the Garda in court as proof that you were above the legal limit. Of course, if you are below the legal limit then that is the end of the matter. If you are over the legal limit you will be summonsed by the Garda to appear in court at a later date to answer the charge of drink driving.

Penalties on conviction for drink driving will vary depending on the amount of alcohol that has been detected in your system. Another factor the court will take account of is whether the offence is your first offence or otherwise. Remember, all convictions for drink driving carry a mandatory disqualification from driving.

Baby and Child Seats

Child / Baby Seats are Mandatory in Ireland. Child Seats and Baby seats are available by prior notification at an additional cost of EURO 49 per rental. Baby seats are NOT available for rental for children under 6 months old. NEW EU CHILD SAFETY PROTECTION LAWS HAVE COME INTO FORCE making it compulsory for all children to travel in the correct child seat, booster seat or booster cushion. Notes: Where safety belts have been fitted they must be worn. Children under 3 years of age must not travel in a car or goods vehicle unless restrained in the correct child seat. Children aged 3 years or over who are under 150cms in height and weighing less than 36 kilograms (i.e. generally children up to 11/12 years old) must use the correct child seat, booster seat or booster cushion when travelling in cars or goods vehicles. Children over 3 years of age must travel in a rear seat in vehicles not fitted with safety belts. Rearward-facing child car seats must NEVER be used in the front passenger seat of cars with an active airbag. Drivers have a legal responsibility to ensure passengers aged under 17 use the correct seat, booster seat, booster cushion or seatbelt.

Information

In the front seat all children must either be in a child seat or wear a seat belt. There are no exceptions to this rule. In the rear seat children less than four years must use an appropriate child restraint. Children over 4 years must use an appropriate child restraint, where available, or a seat belt. Where airbags are fitted the renter should check the enclosed handbook about special precautions to be taken when using a child restraint in the front seat. Please ask what ages the children using the baby seats are and note this in the comments box of the Booking Form.

Seat Belts

Unless exempted, every person in a car is legally obliged to wear a seat belt where one is fitted. That includes drivers and front and rear passengers. The driver is responsible for ensuring that passengers under 17 years of age comply with the law. Each year in Ireland, many people are hurt, seriously injured or killed on our roads and much of this injury and many of the deaths would not occur if drivers and passengers were adequately restrained by safety belts or child restraint systems (CRS). There is a legal obligation to be restrained and this applies to drivers and passengers. Furthermore, there is an additional onus on drivers to ensure that persons under 17 are suitably restrained while they are in charge of the vehicle.Offences carry an on-the-spot fine of 60 euro. You must pay this fine within 28 days, or face an increased fine of 90 euro payable within 56 days of the offence. Two penalty points will be added to your licence if you opt not to go to court. If you are convicted in court for not wearing a seatbelt, four penalty points will be added to your licence and you will be liable to an 800 euro fine for a first offence.

Winter Driving Conditions

When driving in difficult driving conditions, the first most important safety precaution is to reduce your speed and leave a safe distance between yourself and the car in front. When driving in snow, be extra vigilant and reduce your speed further. Irish Car Rentals.com recommends Car Snow Socks which provide an affordable solution for additional traction on snow and ice. These snow socks are easy to put on and take off when needed.

More information about Road signs is available from the official Road Safety Website here:

Safety is our priority - please make it your priority also.

Irish Car Rentals will make every effort to assist you in having a pleasant and safe driving experience. It is our priority to provide safe road worthy vehicles for your stay in Ireland. We ask all our clients to drive carefully on our roads which are very often narrow. The number of cars has increased on Irish roads in the last few years and it is now more important than ever that all drivers abide by the rules of the road and take great care when driving.

PLEASE NOTE:

The information given on our website is provided "as is". Irish Car Rentals do not accept responsibility of ensuring the information provided is up to date or forms the basis of any agreement or is of a nature that can be used to verify any legal issue. Irish Car Rentals are not liable for any issue arising from the information contained in our website pages. The only agreement in force will be the rental agreement signed by the renter on collection of a vehicle. You accept these terms if you select to view or use the information provided on our website pages.