Motorist driving 113 km/h over the limit the worst of 13,000 caught speeding in just over a month
A motorist was clocked driving at 213 km/h in a 100 km/h zone, the highest speed of 13,000 offences recorded in just under six weeks
Gardaí said a total of 174 people were killed in road collisions in 2024 and said motorists were continuing to speed, drive under the influence of alcohol and narcotics, and use mobile phones while driving despite repeated warnings.
More than 13,000 drivers were detected for speeding offences between November 29 and January 6, with the highest speed, 213km/hr in a 100km/hr zone, detected on the N7 at Brownsbarn, Co Dublin.
Several motorists were found traveling more than twice the maximum speed limit in built up areas with speed limits of 50km/hr.
“These speeds are life-threatening, not just to the drivers and passengers of these vehicles, but to other road users, particularly in our lower speed zones,” Superintendent Liam Geraghty told reporters on the R445 between Limerick City and Bunratty, Co Clare.
“It is disrespectful and dangerous for drivers to be carrying out speeds of those levels on our roads, despite all the warnings and public safety messaging that is taking place,” he said.
A total of 939 people were arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of an intoxicant during the five-and-a-half week Garda road safety campaign that ran through November 29 to January 6. Superintendent Geraghty said it was a “concern” that “drug-related” driving had increased “and accounts for about one-in-three/one third of those (939) arrests”.
There were 85 major collisions for the same period resulting in persons sustaining serious and life threatening injuries. Supt Geragthy warned motorists to “slow down” and not make unnecessary journeys as temperatures were forecasted to drop to -8 degrees Celsius overnight on Tuesday.
“A reduction of 5km/hr in our average speeds will reduce fatal road traffic collision by 30 per cent, we can make a change in our behaviour on our roads,” explained Supt Geraghty.
“We’ve seen extremely adverse road conditions right across the southwest of the country, particularly in Kerry, Cork, west Limerick, west, and south Tipperary into Kilkenny, it’s very obvious in these areas that there is poor and adverse road conditions,” he warned.
“Don’t be complacent on the roads tonight and into Thursday - even though you may not see snow on the ground, the extreme cold weather is going to make driving conditions extremely hazardous right across the country, with severe risk for black ice, and freezing fog.”
Gardaí said they seized 2,636 vehicles/70 vehicles per day, involved in road traffic offences, the majority of which were for drivers having no insurance and Learner Drivers driving unaccompanied, during the pre-Christmas/New Year road safety campaign.
This included one on New Year’s Eve which was clocked doing 95kp/h in a 60kp/h zone and which was discovered to have no insurance, its tax two years out of date and a disqualified driver behind the wheel. In addition, Garda said they issued 1,311 fixed charge notifies to motorists for using a mobile phone while driving.
Gardaí did not specify how many fatalities on the roads in 2024 were caused by excessive speed, drink driving or drug driving.
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