Motoring offences being targeted

THE main objective of road policing in County Wicklow is to cut down on speeding drivers and reduce deaths and injuries occurring on local roads.

Superintendent Paul Hogan outlined how multi-agency checkpoints are also being used to tackle crime and motoring offences on the M11 near Jack Whites, involving the Gardai, Customs and Excise, the Road Safety Authority, local detective and traffic units, the Armed Regional Support Unit, Immigration Officers, the Health and Safety Authority and Social Welfare officers belonging to the Department of Social Protection.

‘There have been vehicles seized and people arrested on foot of warrants at every multi-agency checkpoint we have held. Customs and Excise also dip vehicles for diesel,’ said Superintendent Hogan.

Up until September there were three fatalities on roads within Wicklow, compared to nine in 2015, two in 2016 and three in 2017. There were eight serious injuries recorded in 2015, 18 in 2016, 20 in 2017 and 13 this year. Overall 99 non serious injuries were recoded in 2015, 89 in 2016, 85 in 017 and 76 in 2018. Material damage involving two cars colliding but no injuries has peaked at 738 this year, in comparison to 723 last year, 653 in 2016 and 715 in 2015.

Countywide 1,446 speeding cases occurred in 2017 and 1,375 this year. There were 318 seatbelt offences in 2017 and 365 this year. 375 people were prosecuted for using their mobile phone while driving in 2017 and 572 cases have already been recorded this year. There were 1,036 vehicle seizures in 2017 and 720 this year. There were 114 drunk driving incidents in 2016 and 106 in 2018.