Nearly 1,000 drivers were caught speeding over the Bank Holiday weekend – while 127 people were arrested for driving under the influence.
Gardaí began their August Bank Holiday Weekend Roads Policing Operation on Thursday morning and have detected 946 drivers speeding so far.
One driver was detected in the Seapoint Promenade area of Galway travelling 105km/h in a 50km/h zone.
In the past 24 hours, one driver in Drogheda, Co Louth, was caught driving 91km/h in a 60km/h zone while another on the South Ring Road in Cork was detected driving 134km/h in a 100km/h zone.
On Saturday, a person was found driving 161km/h in an 80km/h zone on the R188 in Drumnagran, Co Cavan.
127 people have been arrested for suspected driving under the influence of an intoxicant over the Bank Holiday weekend.
Some 46 were arrested between Sunday and Monday morning.
Speeding on the Bank Holiday
Speaking this morning, Inspector Peter Gilsenan said there have been “generally good levels of compliance at Garda checkpoints across the country”.
“[But] have still detected people driving at unacceptable speeds and partaking in extremely dangerous driving behaviour such as drug and drunk driving,” he said.
“Whether there is a road safety operation in place or not, our message never changes - for the sake of yourselves and all road users, please slow down and drive safely.”
Finance Minister Jack Chambers said people “need to put away their mobile phone when they're driving”.
“It’s contributing to so many deaths and injuries on our roads, and that anatomy of a split second can kill a vulnerable road user, pedestrian or cyclist and people need to be cognizant of that,” he said.
Road deaths
There have been two road crashes this Bank Holiday weekend, one involving a van and a lorry.
It happened on the N15 at Urlar, Drumcliffe around 6am on August 4th.
The driver of the van, a man in his 20s, was pronounced dead at the scene.
A cyclist in his 60s also died yesterday on the Ticknock Road, Co Dublin.
No other injuries were reported.
Some 115 people have died on Irish roads so far this year, an increase of 12 on 2023 figures.
