Garda warning as 140 arrests for drink-driving over Easter
Message is not getting through as ‘alarmingly high’ number detained
GARDAI have warned that speeding and drink-driving are still a scourge on our roads – despite the frightening death toll over recent months.
The carnage continued over the weekend with three more deaths since officers launched their Bank Holiday Roads Enforcement Operation.
They also said an “alarmingly high” number of people have been arrested under suspicion of driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol over the Easter weekend.
Since the start of the operation, there have been three fatal road traffic collisions and 140 incidents have been detected involving drivers suspected of being drunk or on drugs.
On Saturday alone there were 483 incidents of speeding detected by safety cameras. And the final total could be a lot worse as these figures are based on
Gosafe cameras only and will be higher when individual officer detections are compiled. These won’t be released until the operation ends at 7am today.
A cyclist in his 60s became the latest victim to die on the country’s roads when he was struck by a car in Knocknagee in Kildare on Sunday.
On Saturday, Vakaris Gudaitis died when he was hit by a vehicle on the N17 in the townland of Barnacarroll, Claremorris, Co Mayo.
The 17-year-old lost his life on the same stretch of road that killed three members of a family just days before.
Claire Kavanagh, just weeks away from celebrating her first wedding anniversary, died following a two-car collision on the N24 in Kilsheelan on Friday.
The 33-year-old, who was pregnant with her second child, was heading from Clonmel to Carrick-on-suir, Co Tipperary, with her husband Anthony Phelan who was injured.
Inspector Padraigh Sutton from the Roads Policing Unit in Co Limerick, said yesterday that in the previous 24 hours, 45 people had been arrested nationally on suspicion of driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Insp Sutton told RTE: “We’re appealing to drivers, appealing to motorcyclists, think about what you’re doing today.
“A car weighs, the majority of the time, in excess of a tonne. You’re driving a piece of equipment that weighs more than a tonne and you have huge responsibility. Motorcyclists, get that highvisibility gear on you to improve the chances of a driver seeing you when you’re on your motorbike. “Pedestrians, when you’re out walking is the road suitable for where you’re out walking and are you wearing hi-vis?
“Cyclists, the same, helmets and high-visibility gear and think about where you choose to cycle your bicycle.”