The New Rules of the Road for Ireland in 2025

2025 sees several new road rules for Ireland come into effect, along with other measures that will affect motorists such as increased tolls and the provision of driver’s licence numbers to insurers.

With road safety a key concern, the Government is taking action, with changes such as reductions in speed limits and installation of new average speed cameras.

Some of these changes could have an affect on your car insurance, but to take the hassle out of it of for you and to give you some peace of mind, we’ve detailed the new changes to the rules of the road that you need to know below:

New Road Rules Ireland 2025

1. Average Speed Cameras

Average safety cameras (or average speed cameras as commonly known) will have an increasing presence on Irish roads in 2025 as they ae being introduced on a phased basis. They were first introduced in 2017 in the Dublin Port Tunnel, followed in 2022 by the M7 between Junction 26 and 27.

Late last year, new cameras were introduced to the N3 Cavan and the N5 Mayo. Another set of cameras is planned for the N2 at Slane in County Meath.

We’re likely to see more rolled out at other locations in 2025 as Gardai try to reduce the speed of road users and the number of collisions.

How do average speed cameras work?

Average speed cameras monitor a driver’s average speed while driving between two points. If you exceed the speed limit i.e. travel between the two cameras too quickly, you will be fined up to €160 and receive three penalty points.

What does that mean for my car insurance?

From an insurer’s perspective, the number of penalty points on your licence can affect the premium you pay. But regardless, it’s always wise to slow down and obey speed limits for your safety and other road users.

2. Provision of Driver Number to Insurers

From 31st March 2025, motorists will need to provide their Driver Number and that of any named drivers to the insurer when taking out a motor insurance policy. The aim of this new legislation is to remove uninsured drivers from Irish roads.

This data will be transferred to the Irish Motor Insurance Database (IMID), which is available to Gardai to check drivers’ insurance status at the roadside.

According to the Motor Insurers’ Bureau of Ireland, there was an 11% increase in claims caused by uninsured vehicles in 2023. Aside from the danger to road safety, uninsured driver claims also add to the premiums drivers pay for insurance, so removing them from Irish roads is good for everyone.

How do I find my driver number?

It’s the 9-digit number in field 4d on the newer plastic card driving licence, or field 5 on a paper driving licence.

3. Fines for Breaking Red Lights

2025 will also see the introduction of new cameras at traffic lights to catch motorists breaking red lights. This will be a phased approach, with these new cameras planned to be introduced in Dublin, before being rolled out nationwide. From a road safety perspective, the aim is to improve driver behaviour and reduce the number of collisions.

How could this affect my car insurance?

The camera takes a photo of the offending vehicle’s registration plate and the €80 fine is processed automatically. Motorists caught breaking red lights will also get three penalty points, which can affect the premium you pay for your insurance policy.

4. Increases in Motorway Tolls

From 1st January 2025, there have been some increases to tolls motorists pay to use some motorways and the Dublin Port Tunnel.

Here’s a quick rundown of the changes:

• The M50 toll has gone up by 10 cent for all cars, buses, coaches and lighter goods vehicles that don’t have a registered tag or video account.

• 10 cent increase to the M50 toll for heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) over 10,000kg that have a tag and account, and 20 cent increase for unregistered HGVs.

• The Dublin Port Tunnel toll for southbound traffic at peak times in the morning has risen from €12 to €13. Other tolls remain unchanged and free travel continues for HGVs using the tunnel.

• 10 cent increase for buses, coaches and HGVs on the M1, M3, M4, M7/M8, M8, N18 Limerick Tunnel and N25 Waterford, except for the M3 where tolls for HGVs not exceeding 3,500kg remain unchanged. There is no increase for cars using these roads, except a 10 cent increase on the M4 from Kilcock to Kinnegad.

5. Reduced Speed Limits

This year will also see changes to speed limits as part of the Government’s push on road safety. These changes were due to take effect last November but delayed until February 2025.

The changes to default speed limits are as follows:

• National secondary roads to be reduced from 100km/h to 80km/h

• Local and rural roads to be reduced from 80km/h to 60km/h

• Roads in town, cities and built-up areas to be reduced from 50km/h to 30km/h.

Keep yourself informed

With these changes to road rules in Ireland in 2025, it’s best to keep yourself informed to stay within the law and avoid getting penalty points on your licence, which can affect your premium.

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