Ireland Car Hire

Some general speed limits should be kept in mind while driving. There are speed limits of 31 mph (50 km/h) in built-up areas, 50 mph (80 km/h) for non-national roads, 61 mph (100 km/h) for national roads and 75 mph (120 km/h) in motorways unless signs say otherwise. 

Traffic signs in Ireland can be mainly classified into 3 types: regulatory signs, warning signs and information signs. 

Irish regulatory signs are mostly circular and feature red, with some exceptions. 

Stop

Yield

Yield (In Irish)

Max Speed Limit (80 km/h)

No Overtaking

Pedestrianized Street

Warning signs are diamond shaped with a yellow background.

Slippery Road Ahead

Series of Bumps or Hollows Ahead

Level Crossing with Lights and Barriers

Pedestrian Crossing Ahead

Deer or Wild Animals

Irish regulatory signs are mostly rectangular with different background colours.

Airport Sign

Advance Sign for Facilities in Lay-bay

To read more about Irish traffic signs, you can refer to Ireland Traffic Signs Manual 2010.

All passengers are required to have their seatbelt fastened at all times when the vehicle is moving. Drivers are obliged to make sure passengers under 17 are suitably restrained. Failing to do so can result in a fine of €60 which must be paid within 28 days.

All children under 17 must be in an appropriate restraint system when they are in a vehicle. Kids under 150cm (4ft and11in) in height or 36kg (79lbs) in weight must sit in correct child restraints that are appropriate to the weight of the child and must be in accordance with EU or UN standards. Rear facing child restraints must not be used in seats protected by an active frontal air-bag.

· Forbidden Parking

You must not park on the following spots:

- Opposite to another vehicle on a narrow road

- At the entrance or exit of a fire station, police station, ambulance station or hospital

- Where you would block other road users' views of a traffic signal or the road ahead

- 15 metres before or 5 metres after pedestrian crossings or traffic lights

- Where parking is forbidden by traffic signs or road markings, as detailed below

- When there is a single yellow line as a road mark with an upright information plate nearby, you must not park during the times shown

(Image from bcmtouring.com)

- When there are double yellow lines, you are not allowed to park at any time

(Image from bcmtouring.com)

- Parking spots with a disabled person symbol are only available for people suffering from a disability

(Image from bcmtouring.com)

· Parking Sign

Permitted and prohibited parking signs in Ireland may specify multiple times, places, durations, restrictions and vehicle categories in a condensed form on a single sign.

Parking Permitted

Parking Prohibited

You may also find this sign with two-way diagonals indicating a specific area must be kept clear during the specified times of the day.

Clearway

· Paid Parking

Disc parking and Pay-and-Display parking system are both valid in Ireland. You are most likely to find a solar powered meter for Pay-and-Display, which prices usually range from 80 cent to €2.9 per hour.

The average value for Ireland gasoline price during November to December, 2017 is 1.4 Euro, while diesel is 1 cent lower.

Both Irish residents and foreign tourists using a toll road should pay for the fee. There are eleven toll roads in Ireland.

(Image from eflow.ie)

You will need to stop at the toll plaza to pay the tolls either by cash or by card, and 10 of the toll roads in Ireland are equipped with barrier toll plazas except for the M50. To use the M50, you need to pay before 8pm the following day. Failure to do so will result in a fine of €3.00. 

If you plan to rent a car and use the toll roads in Ireland, it is advisable for you to rent an electronic tag from the car hire company, enabling an automatic payment of the toll fee directly from your credit card. Please note that electronic tags are subject to availability at the rental desk. If you have any question related to your toll fee billing, feel free to contact QEEQ' 24/7 customer service team for assistance. 

In Ireland, drink driving is a serious offence. The legal limit varies and depends on drivers’ qualifications. Full licenced drivers are not allowed to consume more than the legal alcohol limit which is 50 micrograms per millilitres of blood while professional and learner drivers are limited at 20mg/100ml. Being deemed as drunk driving will result in a two-year ban and a €1,500 fine.

If you are caught speeding on the road, you need to pay €80 as a fine and give out 3 penalty points in 28 days. If you miss the deadline, you need to pay €120 in another 28 days. If you still have not proceeded to the payment after 56 days, a court case will be filled against you. 

Parking offence will result in a fine from €40 to €80 depending on the situation. 

Car hire companies will pass on the driver’s information to the authorities in case of traffic infringement, while the post or email notification enlisting breach details will only be issued by the traffic authority. 

Note that the fine usually comes with a service/administration fee as well. It is advisable for you to contact QEEQ' 24/7 customer service team if you have any question on this matter.