THE chances of being caught out for speeding on the roads were cut threefold last year as the numbers nabbed by cameras or roadside checks tumbled.

Figures from the Road Safety Authority show that in the 12 months to March 2010, just 20,766 people were caught driving above the safe speed limit.

In the previous 12 months, more than 60,000 people had been nabbed, showing either a serious improvement in driver behaviour or, more likely, a decline in enforcement.

A Sunday Tribune analysis of penalty points issued for two other common offences – failure to obey a traffic signal and driving while using a mobile phone – also showed a significant drop-off in offences recorded.

Breaking a red light attracted 8,438 penalty-point notices in the period between March 2008 and March 2009.

However, for the 12 most recent months, there were only 1,580 similar offences recorded.

Driving while holding a mobile phone appeared to be one area where enforce­ment remained high, with 23,771 people caught in the last year.

That compared unfavourably with the 32,681 in the previous 12 months, but the percentage decline was not as severe as with other offences.

Overall, the numbers getting penalty points dropped considerably – from 135,217 between March of 2008 and 2009 to just 49,579 for the latest one-year period.

One senior garda said: "The reductions in garda budgets have obviously led to a fall-off in the number of checks taking place, but there has also been an improvement by motorists in terms of their driving.

"That is reflected in the decrease in fatalities on the road but enforcement is key, and if people think they will get away with speeding, they will quickly return to their old ways."

More generally, the figures show that one in three offences detected by gardaí does not lead to penalty points – as the motorist had no 'driver number'. The majority of these offences relate to speeding by vehicles from Northern Ireland, Britain and Europe, who cannot be pursued.

More than 800,000 individual offences have now been recorded, with 666,288 people given at least two points on their licences. The vast majority of people have still amassed just two points.

In total, 169 people have reached 12 penalty points and received an automatic six-month disqualification from driving.

A further 106 people are sitting precariously on 11 points, where even the most minor of offences will push them towards a ban.

Another 1,083 drivers are holding 10 points on their licence and are within just a single speeding or mobile-phone offence from disqualification.

More than two-thirds of all the offences recorded relate to speeding on the roads. Driving while using a mobile phone is the next most common failing.

Far smaller numbers have found themselves caught out for much less common offences, including driving a vehicle when unfit (4), failing to stop for a school-warden sign (51), failing to act in accordance with a garda signal (41) and parking a vehicle in a dangerous position (27).

An increasing number of people are being nabbed for failing to drive without a valid NCT certificate – 442 motorists were caught out for that offence.