Unmarked garda cars on hunt for‘boy racers’

GARDA Commissioner Noel Conroy has admitted gardaí are struggling to tackle dangerous driving by so-called “boy racers”.

In an effort to improve the ability of gardaí to catch young motorists speeding, Commissioner Conroy revealed they have resorted to hiring unmarked cars in parts of the country.

The commissioner told the Oireachtas Committee on Transport yesterday that the problem was acute in rural areas as such motorists were using mobile phones to pass on information about the location of gardaí.

The use of ordinary squad cars had proven less effective for this reason, said Commissioner Conroy.

“We are not making any progress in apprehending boy racers,” he confessed.

The committee also heard that improved detection rates brought about by the introduction of random breath-testing last July has shown that the level of drink driving by Irish motorists was above international averages.

Around 2,700 drivers failed a random breath test out of more than 100,000 tests conducted since the new legislation came into effect, equivalent to a drink driving rate of 2.7% of all motorists compared to the international average of 2%.

More than 11,500 drivers were found to be driving over the legal blood/alcohol limit since the start of the year compared to just under 8,650 in the corresponding period in 2005, representing an increase of 33%.

Commissioner Conroy revealed figures which showed detection rates since the introduction of mandatory breath testing had risen by over 50%.

He said gardaí were “extremely happy” with the new legislation as it removed the legal requirement for a garda to form an opinion that a driver had consumed an excessive amount of alcohol before they could be breathalysed.

He also welcomed the reduction in the number of fatalities in recent months, although he said it was too early to say if the figures indicated a sustained trend relating to the new laws.

A total of 310 people have died on roads in the Republic so far this year — 12 fewer than the same period in 2005.

Commissioner Conroy declined to comment on recent controversial decisions in the courts in relation to driving offences.

Several TDs and senators expressed concern that gardaí were targeting drivers around breakfast time for random breath testing. Independent TD Michael Lowry warned that such “morning after” checks could prove counter-productive in gaining public support for tackling the problem of drink driving.

However, the commissioner said there was a sound basis for carrying out such tests as 42 fatalities so far in 2006 had occurred between 6am and 10am.

“It would be wrong to send out any other message than people should not take alcohol before they sit behind a wheel,” he said.