Gardaí target drink-driving, drug-driving amid road-death toll up on 2023 – The Irish Times

A large-scale Garda operation is under way this Easter weekend targeting drink-driving and drug-driving in an effort to reduce potential deaths over the bank holiday.

Up to Friday morning 55 people have been killed on the State’s roads so far this year, 13 people more than the similar period in 2023.

The “high visibility policing” will also see checkpoints monitoring speed, seat belt-use, “distracted driving” and the use of mobile phones.

Distracted driving is an offence that covers a wide range of activities including eating and focusing too heavily on dashboard screens.

Gardaí said the aim of this campaign is to protect vulnerable road users and reduce the number of fatal and serious collisions.

Over the St Patrick’s weekend 175 motorists were arrested for drink-driving, more than 1,800 drivers were detected speeding and some 170 were issued with fixed-charge notices for using mobile phones while driving.

In February, during the St Brigid’s bank holiday weekend 161 people were arrested for driving under the influence of drink or drugs, and almost 3,000 drivers were detected speeding. More than 500 vehicles were seized by gardaí.

The Garda press office noted bank holiday weekends are among the busiest periods on Irish roads and one of the periods where road users are at the highest risk of being involved in a fatal or serious road incident.

The Garda is also warning motorists to be aware of driving conditions with heavy rain showers and hail expected and isolated thunderstorms possible. The outlook is for unsettled showery conditions continuing for the weekend.

The Garda operation over the bank holiday weekend started at 7am on Thursday and will continue until 7am, Tuesday, April 2nd.