Gardaí arrested and charged the driver of a tractor in Co. Laois this week after it was found that the motorist had been disqualified from driving.
Officers from the Laois Roads Policing Unit were on patrol yesterday (Monday, January 16) when they stopped the tractor, which was towing a flat bed trailer, near Castletown, due to the poor conditions of the tyres on the vehicle.
“The driver behind the wheel was disqualified from driving,” gardaí said in a post on Facebook.
The driver was arrested and charged; they are due to appear in court at a later date.
Gardaí also confirmed that the tractor was seized.
Tractor
Meanwhile, gardaí in Co. Cork have reminded tractor drivers to ensure that their vehicles are properly lit up when out on the roads.
The warning comes as the Cork West Road Policing Unit recently stopped a tractor which was being driven “late at night with only one small faint red-light working”.
In a social media post, gardaí said that none of the lights fitted on the vehicle, including brake lights and indicators, were working.
They added that driving an agricultural vehicle without proper lights poses a serious road safety risk.
The Road Safety Authority (RSA) advises that tractors and farm machines must be equipped with full lighting systems: Side lamps; head lamps; rear lamps; stop lamps; direction indicators; amber beacons; and number-plate lighting.
This applies at all times and not just during lighting up hours, the RSA said.
Since 2016, all tractors are required to be fitted with a flashing amber beacon and have it switched on when in use.
Stolen horse box
Elsewhere, gardaí said that a man has been arrested and charged in relation to the theft of a horse box in Co. Tipperary.
The trailer was reported stolen from an area in Knock, Roscrea on Saturday, January 14.
As they examined CCTV footage, gardaí identified a suspect in the case.
They carried out follow-up searches yesterday during which the horse box was recovered.
“One man was arrested and detained at Nenagh Garda Station and later charged with theft offences,” gardaí said.