Number of road deaths up 38% compared with last year

By Cate McCurry, PA

The number of deaths on Ireland’s roads has jumped by 38 per cent compared with last year, with three people killed in separate road crashes over the Easter weekend.

Gardaí said they put in place an extensive road policing operation from last Thursday until Tuesday morning.

There were three road fatalities during this period and 13 serious collisions which resulted in people receiving serious and life-threatening injuries, according to gardaí.

Since the start of the year, 58 people have been killed on Irish roads, 16 more lives lost in road traffic collisions than this time last year.

Over the bank holiday period, gardaí carried out more than 1,070 mandatory intoxicant testing (MIT) checkpoints.

More than 5,000 roadside drug and alcohol tests were conducted which led to 177 arrests for driving under the influence of an intoxicant.

More than a quarter of these arrests occurred between 8am and 2pm.

In the past 24 hours, 36 people were arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of an intoxicant.

Throughout the weekend, more than 2,630 drivers were detected for speeding offences.

A driver was caught speeding at 126km per hour in a 50km zone on the Tonlegee Road in Dublin.

Another driver was detected speeding at 193km per hour in a 120km zone on the M1 at Bellewstown in Co Meath.

More than 220 drivers were caught using a mobile phone, while 77 people were caught without a seat belt.

Chief Superintendent Jane Humphries, of the Garda National Roads Policing Bureau, said: “The past weekend was another very busy period on Irish roads, and a lot of people will be on the move again this week with many schools off for the midterm break.

“Gardaí nationwide continue to do all that they can to ensure that road users are safe and that those who break road traffic laws are detected, but the issues on our roads at present require the attention of every single person.

“Every driver is responsible for their own driving behaviour. There is no excuse whatsoever to get behind the wheel of a car under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.

“Keep your eyes always on the road – there is no valid reason to drive while distracted by your phone and that includes swiping on apps or paying attention to a map on your device.

“We are seeing some extremely dangerous driving behaviour that must be stopped. Slow down.

“Be patient and be mindful of your actions while in control of the vehicle you’re driving. Responsible driving habits keep yourself and other road users safe. It is as simple as that.”