DRINK-DRIVE ARREST AT SAFETY LAUNCH
Garda operation for bank holiday
A MOTORIST was arrested on suspicion of drink-driving – at a checkpoint to launch a Garda bank holiday road safety enforcement operation.
Gardai were operating a Mandatory Intoxicant Checkpoint in Manorcunningham, Co Donegal, at 11am yesterday when the incident happened.
The checkpoint was part of a campaign to highlight road safety in the coming days with a high volume of traffic set to use the country’s roads.
The enforcement operation is focusing on the dangers of driving under the influence of an intoxicant, not wearing a seatbelt, speeding, and using a mobile phone while driving.
At yesterday’s briefing, gardai pulled over a motorist who had a number of passengers in their vehicle. Officers were left shocked when the driver appeared to be over the drink-driving limit.
The person was arrested on suspicion of drink-driving and taken to Letterkenny Garda station to be processed.
Head of the Donegal Traffic Corps, Inspector Seamus Mcgonigle, confirmed the person was arrested.
He said the arrest was a valuable lesson to all motorists of the dangers on the roads at all times of the day.
He said: “The person was pulled in and gardai formed their suspicions that the driver was under the influence.
“The driver was arrested and taken to a Garda station to be processed.
“The incident is an example to the public that there are dangers on our roads at all times and people need to be vigilant from the moment they get behind the wheel, no matter what time of the day it is.
Inspector Mcgonigle confirmed that there will be an increase in checkpoints over the bank holiday weekend.
Drivers can be tested even if gardai have not formed the opinion that they are over the drink or drug driving limit.
Inspector Mcgonigle also said that gardai will be monitoring and cracking down on drivers using phones and other distraction devices while in control of their vehicles.
Three people have been killed on Donegal’s roads so far this year – the latest being a young man in his 30s who was killed at 6am on Friday morning outside Letterkenny.