Cork motorist one of the first clocked speeding in garda Easter roads campaign

A Co Cork motorist driving at 82km/hr in a 50km/hr zone was one of more than 680 people detected speeding yesterday by an Easter weekend garda road safety campaign in which every on-duty garda in the country is policing the roads.

With many people travelling over the weekend and bad weather forecast, gardaí are urging road users to take extra caution around vulnerable road users, in particular pedestrians.

An Easter bank holiday weekend garda road safety campaign got underway at 7am yesterday and will run until 7am on Tuesday, April 7.

The first day of the operation – which ran until 7am on Good Friday morning - saw no deaths on Irish roads. The total number of road traffic fatalities on Irish roads so far this year is 42.

With every on-duty garda in the country carrying out road traffic enforcement duties this weekend, gardaí are conducting both statutory mandatory intoxicant testing (MIT) and regular, high-visibility policing checkpoints.

In the first day of the garda operation, a total of 21 people were arrested for driving under the influence of an intoxicant, be that alcohol or drugs.

More than 680 drivers were detected for speeding offences during the first 24 hours of the operation.

One of the first people detected speeding during this weekend’s garda operation was a motorist travelling at 82 km/h in a 50km/hr zone on the R600 in Belgooly.

Other notable speeds detected yesterday included:

• One driver travelling at 81 km/h in a 60km/hr zone on the R267 in Bundoran in Co Donegal;
• A motorist driving at 104 km/h in an 80km/hr zone on Drogheda Road, Gormanstown in Co Meath;
• A driver speeding at 147 km/h in a 100km/hr zone on the N11, Newcastle, Co Wicklow.

In the first day of the garda operation, nearly 90 drivers were detected holding a mobile phone or not wearing a seatbelt.

An Garda Síochána and the Road Safety Authority (RSA) are urging all road users to support their efforts to keep them and all others on the roads safe this Easter Weekend.

Every member of An Garda Síochána on-duty this long weekend will be out conducting road traffic enforcement activity.

Gardaí will be placing a particular emphasis on detecting those driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs this weekend. At no point is it safe or acceptable to get behind the wheel of a vehicle after having an intoxicant like alcohol or drugs.

An Garda Síochána is urging road users to take extra caution around vulnerable road users, in particular pedestrians and cyclists.

Motorists are reminded to always drive within the speed limit. Always wear a seatbelt and never use a mobile phone when driving. Keep distractions out of the vehicle and put your full attention on the road.

Walking home or cycling under the influence of alcohol or drugs can also put you and other road users at risk. Cyclists and pedestrians should stay visible and observe their surroundings at all times.