THREE PEOPLE have been issued with fixed penalty notices after recording the scene of a crash on the M1 last week. 

On Wednesday, gardaí attended a collision involving a HGV on the M1. Two lanes were blocked for a time as a result of the crash.

While dealing with this incident, gardaí witnessed three motorists driving past while recording the scene with their phone, An Garda Síochána said in a post on Facebook. 

All three motorists were stopped and issued fixed penalty notices. 

“Gardaí and other emergency services have a job to do and we expect the public to drive appropriately at or near a scene (which most people do),” An Garda Síochána said.

“Using your phone increases the risk of another accident taking place potentially injuring or possibly causing a fatality at a collision,” it said. 

It added that “it is completely disrespectful to anyone involved in the collision”. 

Speaking to reporters outside Leinster House today, Labour TD Ged Nash said his party’s transport spokesperson Duncan Smith’s Bill that seeks to prohibit the recording or publication of images taken at the scene of a crash is to be debated at second stage next month. 

Nash is a “necessary” piece of legislation. 

“Ultimately what that will do is introduce a legal prohibition on taking and sharing images at crash sites,” he said. 

“There are some powers that An Garda Síochána has, but those powers are limited,” Nash said.

“I don’t think that anybody would disagree with the idea that we should empower members of An Garda Síochána and enhance the law to outlaw the taking and sharing of images at crash sites.”