- 930 MIT checkpoints carried out by Gardaí over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend
- 184 arrests for drink and drug driving
On Wednesday, 13 April 2022, An Garda Síochána along with the Road Safety Authority launched a general appeal for road users to take greater care on the road over the Easter Bank Holiday. The appeal followed a worrying increase in road deaths so far in 2022.
Over the Easter Bank Holiday, a Garda operation was put in place between 7am on Thursday, 14 April 2022 up until 7am on Tuesday, 19 April 2022. The operation placed a particular emphasis on the problem of drug driving.
During this Easter Bank Holiday period there were 930 Mandatory Intoxicant Testing checkpoints carried out by Gardaí right across the country; which saw Gardaí make 73 arrests for drug driving and a further 111 arrests for drink driving.
Detections for other road offences during the period included
- Seatbelts – 61
- Mobiles – 166
- Speeding – 1810
Assistant Commissioner Paula Hilman, Roads Policing and Community Engagement said: "I want to sincerely thank the majority of road users who drove responsibly and did not put other road users at risk over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend.”
"However, given that two people lost their lives on our roads between Good Friday and Bank Holiday Monday and a further thirteen received life changing injuries, I again appeal to the minority who persist in disregarding public safety messages to remember the devastating effect that fatal and serious injury collisions have on our families and communities. I urge all motorists to play your part in ensuring our roads are safe for everyone.”
Road Traffic Collisions:
There were two (2) Road Traffic Collisions which resulted in two (2) fatalities over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend and 10 Serious Injury Road Traffic Collisions resulting in 13 persons injured. This compares to 1 Fatal Road Traffic Collision (1 fatality) and 19 Serious Road Traffic Collisions (20 persons injured) in 2019 (the last pre-covid traffic statistics).
Background:
An Garda Síochána figures for the full year 2021 saw over 3,300 arrests for Drug-Driving. Analysis by the Medical Bureau of Road Safety (MBRS) shows that cannabis and cocaine remain the most detected drugs in drivers on Irish roads. In 2021, 57% of specimens tested for drugs contained cannabis, 31% contained cocaine and 14% were found to have benzodiazepines. The number of arrests in 2022, up to 31 March, was 768.
