Speeding must be talked about 'all the time' says Garda, as road deaths rise

Vivienne Clarke

The rising number of road fatalities is a “very concerning and very worrying” trend according to An Garda Síochána.

Garda press office spokesperson Supt Liam Geraghty told RTÉ radio’s Morning Ireland that speeding was something “that we need to talk about all the time.”

Gardaí are staging a 24-hour speed enforcement operation on Tuesday to coincide with increased traffic on roads around the country. It is the latest element in an ongoing Christmas campaign, aimed at promoting safer driving and reducing collisions.

So far this year, a total of 184 people have lost their lives on Irish roads. This is a 7 per cent increase from the previous year, where 172 people died on the roads.

Drivers are being asked to observe speed limits at all times and to take extra care given the additional numbers making long journeys. People should challenge anyone they know who drives at speed. “We need to call them out and ask them to slow down,” said Supt Geraghty.

He also said 170 drivers had been arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs in the past week, taking the total so far for the month of December to 444, of which up to 45 per cent involved drugs.