Background and Policy Objectives
4.A review of the road traffic legislative requirements in Northern Ireland showed that there had been considerable slippage from the comparable legal position in Great Britain and that there was a need to address this imbalance. At the same time, proposals to introduce a range of updated and new provisions were being prepared in both Great Britain and in Northern Ireland. In Great Britain, these proposals have been included in the Road Safety Act 2006, while in Northern Ireland they have been included in this Order.
5.In particular, the Order addresses important road safety issues such as drink and drug driving, speeding, non-wearing of seatbelts, uninsured driving and driving standards. It also contributes to the enforcement of road traffic law by increasing the powers available to the police and vehicle examiners as well as changes to the driver licensing system and the provisions relating to driving instruction.
