Assisting Gardai
An Garda Siochana are responsible for enforcing road traffic law. This
section covers the Garda signals and instructions you must obey when on the road.
Signals
If a Garda is controlling traffic, their signals override all other signals
from traffic lights. This means that if they signal you to stop, for example,
you must do so even if a green light is showing. The signals and their meanings
are shown below. You must understand them so you know how to respond when in traffic.
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Instructions
You must do the following if a Garda asks you to:
- Show your driving licence, which you must carry at all times when driving.
- Allow the Garda to examine the insurance disc, tax disc, and, where relevant the NCT disc, all of which you must display on your vehicle.
- Produce a certificate of roadworthiness or NCT certificate, as appropriate, at a named Garda station within 10 days.
- Produce a valid motor insurance certificate to a Garda within 10 days of it being requested. A Garda may ask to see a valid motor insurance certificate anytime up to a month after observing or reasonably believing that an uninsured vehicle has been used in a public place.
- Produce the vehicle registration certificate at any reasonable time.
- Stop your vehicle and allow a Garda to check it for defects. Give your name and address.
- Write out your signature.
- Give a sample of your breath. You may be required to provide a roadside breath sample if you have been involved in a crash, if you have committed a road traffic offence or if a Garda forms the opinion that you have consumed an intoxicant, such as, alcohol or certain drugs.
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- Gardai can set up Mandatory Alcohol Testing checkpoints (MATs) to take roadside breath samples without the need to form the opinion that you have consumed an intoxicant. It is a criminal offence to refuse to provide a sample.
- If you are arrested for an offence related to alcohol and driving or refusing to give a roadside breath sample, you will be required to provide a sample of breath and blood or urine at a Garda station.
Other controls on road users
- Officials from the Revenue Commissioners including Customs may also stop and examine vehicles.
- Your vehicle may also be impounded by a Revenue Official and/or Gardai
- You may also be stopped by the Gardai working with Transport Officers from the Road Safety Authority who will check the Tachograph and Operator's Licence.
