Crackdown on drink driving leads to 42 arrests in Kerry

A TOTAL of 42 people have been arrested in Kerry for alleged drink driving during the Christmas/New Year crackdown, gardaí in Tralee confirmed last night.

This is well short of the 71 arrested during the same period a year ago, but the six-week garda Christmas road safety campaign does not end until next Sunday night.

A garda spokesperson said that despite warnings and extra checkpoints on roads, some people in Kerry continued to drive while over the limit.

‘’The campaign will continue right up to the end of the festive period,” said a garda spokesperson.

The Tralee-based garda traffic unit currently consists of two sergeants and 12 gardaí.

But Kerry North FF TD Thomas McEllistrim has announced that by the end of 2008 the unit will have five sergeants and 30 gardaí.

He said he was confident that with more gardaí dedicated to road safety, a curb would be placed on drink driving, speeding and other traffic offences.

Last year, 11 people died in traffic accidents in Kerry, compared to 14 in 2004. Nine of those killed were under the age of 30.

This year has got off to a bad start, with the death of a man in his 30s following a single vehicle crash on a straight stretch of road near Ardfert at around 11.15pm on Monday.

The man is believed to be a non-national who was living in the Ballyheigue area for some years.

Gardaí said he would not be named until all next-of-kin had been informed.

He was a back seat passenger in the car which was carrying four people.

The car appeared to have gone out of control and crashed into a wall.

Meanwhile, gardaí in Kerry have also been busy dealing with drunk and disorderly conduct on the streets of towns around the county.

Since St Stephen’s Day in Killarney up to 20 people have been arrested for public order offences.

On St Stephen’s night, 16 people were arrested, but the Thursday before Christmas was one of the most unruly nights in Killarney, with almost 20 being arrested.