Drink driving figures go ‘in wrong direction’

THE number of drink driving detections in Kerry are ‘going in the wrong direction’ according to the county’s new garda chief.

Chief Superintendent Dave Sheahan was commenting on the latest crime statistics which revealed that the number of people detected drink driving in Kerry last year was 297 -an increase of 26 people from the previous year.

He said that while he did not have official figures for 2016 to hand for Monday’s Joint Policing Committee meeting, he was aware that they too are ‘going in the wrong direction.’

“It’s clear to see that the number of drink driving detections is starting to creep up again and that is something that is seriously bugging me,” he said.

On a positive note, however, Chief Supt Sheahan said that he was encouraged that the number of road traffic fatalities dropped from 13 in 2014 to eight last year, adding that any year you can keep that to single figures is a good year.

“These are the most traumatic of all deaths that we have to deal with because we are the one left trying to ease the pain of those left behind,” he said.

Other figures showed that here were 17 serious injury collisions reported in Kerry last year - the same as 20114 - but Chief Supt Sheahan warned that any of those could have just as easily resulted in a fatality, which needs to be considered.