Motorists urged to 'slow down' during Bank Holiday

Irish police, Gardaí, have initiated a Bank Holiday roads policing operation, urging motorists to "slow down and stick to the speed limit." The operation, which will continue until Tuesday morning, targets key areas of concern including speeding, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, using mobile phones while driving, and ensuring seatbelt usage.

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slow down and stick to the speed limit

The August Bank Holiday weekend is traditionally a busy period on Irish roads. Gardaí noted that increased road usage during this time elevates the risk of fatal or serious injury collisions. Statistics reveal that between January 1 and June 30 this year, over 119,000 fixed charge notices were issued for speeding. Additionally, more than 14,500 notices were issued for mobile phone use while driving, and over 3,000 for not wearing a seatbelt. Over 18,000 vehicles were seized for various offenses, including lack of insurance, driving license, NCT/CVRT, or being an unaccompanied learner driver.

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The current level of fatalities on Irish roads and the tragic increase we've observed over the past few years is very concerning.

As of Wednesday morning, 105 people have died on Irish roads this year, a concerning increase of 13 fatalities compared to the same period last year. Research from the Road Safety Authority indicates that individuals aged 16 to 25 account for over a quarter of all road fatalities up to July 26. The RSA also found that over 40% of fatalities occurred on weekends, and more than half of this year's fatal collisions happened on roads with speed limits of 80 km/h or higher.

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Each fatality is not just a number; it is a person with a family, friends, colleagues and a community.

Assistant Commissioner Denis Ferry of Roads Policing and Community Engagement expressed deep concern over the rising fatalities, stating, "Each fatality is not just a number; it is a person with a family, friends, colleagues and a community." He highlighted a "worrying concern around road safety in general" due to persistent non-compliance with traffic laws. Ferry emphasized that road safety must be a priority for everyone. This morning, a motorcyclist in his 50s died in a single-vehicle crash near Chapelizod in Dublin.

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These rising fatalities are symptomatic of a bigger and very worrying concern around road safety in general.