Taoiseach urges Easter motorists to drive safely

TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern has led calls for safe driving over the Easter holiday weekend as more than 1,000 additional gardaí will be on duty in an effort to clamp down on drink driving and speeding.

Assistant Garda Commissioner Eddie Rock said: “Our people are out there with the primary aim of preventing and reducing deaths on our roads — not to catch people, but that may be the consequence of you engaging in dangerous driving, or drink driving, or speeding, or not wearing your seatbelts.”

Road safety chiefs have warned motorists against the dangers of nodding off at the wheel.

Over the last five years 22 people had been killed and 52 people seriously injured over the Easter period. Nine of these deaths occurred last year. The Road Safety Authority (RSA) said research indicates driver fatigue could be a contributory factor in one in five driver deaths here. Gardaí reported a 25% increase in detection of drink driving over the St Patrick’s holiday weekend compared with 2007. They are asking people to remember that inappropriate speed is the single greatest contributory factor to road deaths and injuries.

Mr Ahern said it was crucial we remembered the messages of never drinking and driving and to reduce speed.

“It is a matter for individual road users to act responsibly on our roads and to take responsible decisions.

“By taking some simple advice, we can reduce the level of road deaths and serious injuries — put your seatbelt on, observe the speed limits and never ever drink and drive,” he said.

Road figures

* 25% — Rise in drink driving on St Patrick’s weekend.

* 20% — Deaths from driver fatigue.

* 9 — Road death victims last holiday weekend.

* 22 — Traffic deaths over past five Easters.

* 1,000 — Extra gardaí on traffic duty.