All road users are asked to be vigilant and to take all necessary steps to ensure their safety and the safety of other road users.
The coming weekend brings with it the start of an extended holiday period.
This weekend is a long weekend with St. Patrick’s Day falling on Monday.
The following weekend is the Easter Holiday period.
Over the next two weeks therefore many people will set out on long journeys.
All road users are asked to be vigilant and to take all necessary steps to ensure their safety and the safety of other road users.
Significant extra Garda resources will be deployed over these periods aimed of increasing compliance amongst drivers, with the objective of improving road safety.
Inappropriate speed is the single greatest contributory factor to road deaths and serious injuries.
Over the St. Patrick’s Day holiday period in 2007 there were 1,990 speeding detections and over the Easter Holiday period 2,644 detections.
Drivers are urged to slow down and remember that as a general rule a 1km/h decrease in average speed results in a 2% reduction in injury collisions, a 3% reduction in serious injury collisions and a 4% reduction in fatal collisions*.
A culture of drink driving still exists.
Garda enforcement activity over the two holiday periods will therefore also focus on Drink Driving.
Additional resources will be deployed to combat drink driving and extensive use will be made of Mandatory Alcohol Testing checkpoints.
Over the St. Patrick’s Day period in 2007 there were 481 detected driving while intoxicated incidents recorded and over the Easter Holiday period 445 such incidents were recorded.
The message to drivers is:-
• Never drink and drive.
• Have a nominated non-drinking driver or use public transport, taxis/hackneys if going out for a drink.
Those going on long journeys should also remember that tiredness contributes to road fatalities and injuries and so journeys should be planned and drivers should stop in a safe place if they feel tired and take a short nap or break away from the road.
Garda Press Office
12/3/08
