Gardaí mounted high visibility checkpoints on the outskirts of Ennis this morning as part of a nationwide Bank Holiday Roads Enforcement Operation.
Bank Holiday Weekend periods are one of the busiest periods on Irish roads, they are also one of the periods where road users are at the highest risk of being involved in a fatal or serious road traffic collision.
This morning, members of An Garda Síochána’s Roads Policing Unit in Clare undertook an operation the N85 Western Relief Road. The route links the M18 motorway with the Kilrush (N68), Miltown Malbay (R474) and Lahinch (N85). Checkpoints were set up on both sides of the dual-carriageway.
Up to Friday, 155 people had lost their lives in Road Traffic Collisions on Irish roads.
– 1 in 4 (38) Road deaths have been pedestrians to date in 2023
– 43 pedestrians were killed on Irish roads in 2022. This trend indicates that pedestrian fatality figures for 2023 are estimated to be their highest in 15 years.
– 1 in 3 (51) road deaths have been people under the age of 25, 11 were pedestrians
– 21 Road deaths have been over the age of 70, 10 were pedestrians
– 155 Deaths on Irish roads is 36 greater than 2022 and 43 greater than 2019.
– 155 Deaths occurred in 145 Road Traffic Collisions –
– 93 (2/3) of the Road Traffic Collisions were single vehicle collisions.
To end September 2023 An Garda Síochána has issued to the most risky drivers
– Excess of 120,000 FCN’s for speeding
– Approximately 4,000 FCNs for non-wearing of seatbelts
– Approximately 13,000 FCNs for holding a mobile phone
There have been in excess of 6,000 Driving While Intoxicated Offences recorded on PULSE (Drivers arrested on suspicion of Drink/ Drug Driving). Drug Driving detections account for over 35% of all driving while intoxicated detections to date in 2023.
An Garda Síochána continue to appeal to all road users, for whatever reason you will be using the roads this weekend, whatever your mode of transport may be, to stay safe on the roads this weekend.
An Garda Síochána enforcement operation over the Bank Holiday weekend which commenced at 0700hrs Thursday 26th October 2023 will continue until 0700hrs Wednesday 1st November 2023.
