665 drivers caught speeding during Slow Down Day

Some 665 drivers were detected speeding on Irish roads during An Garda Síochána’s National Slow Down Day, among them two Cork drivers who were doing 90 kilometres per hour in a 60km/h zone and 122km/h in a 100km/h zone, respectively.

During the course of the garda operation, which commenced at 7am on Monday morning, a total of 157,298 vehicles were checked.

While the majority of drivers were found to be driving within the speed limits, gardaí said they had made some “alarming” detections.

In Tullamore, in Co Offaly, a vehicle was detected traveling at 136km/h in a 50km/h zone.

The driver was arrested for dangerous driving and charged by gardaí.

A vehicle was detected travelling at 162km/h in a 100km/h zone in Oranmore, Co Galway.

The driver was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol and appeared before Tullamore District Court on Tuesday.

One driver detected speeding during the 24 hour period was found to be travelling at 90km/h in a 60km/h zone on the N20 in Baltydaniel West, in Mallow.

Another driver was detected doing 122km/h in a 100km/h zone on the N71 at Ballynagrumoolia in Waterfall.

Chief Superintendent Jane Humphries of the Garda National Roads Policing Bureau said that while the vast majority of drivers drive safely within the speed limits, there still remain those who continue to drive at excessive speeds.

“We will maintain our focus on non-compliant drivers as they pose a risk to themselves and other road users,” she said, adding that 127 people have died on Irish roads so far this year.

“An Garda Síochána will continue to monitor and conduct checkpoints on our roads, using our technology to detect those speeding nationwide.”