Worrying increase in drink driving arrests among young motorists

YOUNGER motorists in Kerry are far more likely to get behind the wheel of a car under the influence of alcohol than older drivers in a hugely worrying trend seemingly overturning years of gain in education on the issue.

That’s according to the latest statistics released by gardaí here, who say they are treating the issue as a ‘priority’.

Driving under the influence of drink rose by 8 per cent in the first quarter of the year-on-last.

Three were arrested for driving while under the influence of drugs - a rise of 200 per cent.

The Joint Policing Committee of the county heard that motorists aged 21 to 30 accounted for the most transgressive demographic of all age groups when it came to drink-driving offences in Kerry in the first quarter of the year.

“It means we have another generation now coming up who thinks it’s okay to get behind the wheel of a car under the influence of alcohol,” Committee member and Sinn Féin County Councillor Damian Quigg said, quizzing gardaí on what he described as the ‘most alarming’ of all the figures presented.

Chief Supt Myers had said it was ‘hard to comprehend’ how people were continuing to drink and/or take drugs and drive.

“It remains a priority. We are monitoring checkpoints, but the trend is continuing. People are either not getting the message or they are ignoring it,” Chief Supt Myers said.