Unmarked cars to crack down on dangerous driving

SPECIAL unmarked garda cars will be used next year to crack down on dangerous driving.

The cars will be equipped with inconspicuous flashing beacons in the grill and back tail lights that will be switched on when a rogue driver is spotted.

Assistant Garda Commissioner Eddie Rock said he ranked dangerous driving as one of the three major traffic offences - after drink-driving and before speeding.

He explained that as more resources became available next year gardaí would focus more on dangerous and reckless driving.

“I am talking about a very small percentage of drivers who overtake on bends and who force oncoming drivers to move aside to let them go by. Those kind of ignorant drivers are oblivious to the safety of others,” he said.

“I intend to develop a fleet of inconspicuous, unmarked cars, loaded with flashing beacons inside the grills and in the back tail lights.

“Those cars will be on the road in every division in the country watching out for dangerous drivers.”

However, the newly appointed head of the Garda Traffic Corps will continue to concentrate police resources on tackling drink-driving before focusing on reckless driving.

Mr Rock pointed out that arrests for drink-driving during the first six months of 2005 had increased by 16% compared to the same period last year.

He said gardaí made over 300 arrests for drink-driving over the August bank holiday weekend.

Around 4% of gardaí are assigned to traffic duties, a percentage that Mr Rock expects to rapidly increase as more resources become available in the next few years.

The Police Service in Northern Ireland assigns 8% of the force to traffic management.