Decline in festive drink drive detections

Twenty people a day were caught drink or drug-driving over the festive period at Garda checkpoints, though overall the number of people that drove while intoxicated fell compared with Christmas 2013.

New figures published by An Garda Siochána showed that 696 people were arrested for drink-driving or driving under the influence of drugs over the festive period, which ran from the start of December to January 4. A total of 36,421 drivers were tested at 7,631 mandatory alcohol testing checkpoints operated countrywide.

Both the number of drivers tested and the number of checkpoints was lower than in the equivalent period in 2013, though gardaí stressed that this was due to operational reasons and was not due to a shortage of resources.

The festive period in 2013 saw more than 44,000 people tested at 8,000 checkpoints.

The number of people arrested this past Christmas period was 220 fewer than in the previous December, but Garda Chief Supt Michael O’Sullivan from the Garda National Traffic Bureau said the checkpoints were more targeted and that the fall in arrests reflected a belief that fewer people were drink-driving in the first place.

Last year proved a bad year in relation to road fatalities, but the number of people who died on the roads over Christmas was 17, four fewer than in the previous festive period.

Gardaí also revealed that 16,400 people were detected for speeding offences, 371 people were caught not wearing a seatbelt, 1,741 motorists were caught on a mobile phone and 236 drivers were caught dangerous driving over Christmas.

Gardaí also have new powers to test for drug-driving offences, and Assistant Garda Commissioner John Twomey stressed that “it is totally unacceptable that some people continue to drink or take drugs and drive”.

A Garda spokesman said the offence of driving while intoxicated covers both alcohol and drugs or a combination of both, but that separate figures for drink driving and drug driving offences are not available.

The mandatory alcohol checkpoints are primarily checking for alcohol related offences, but unlike in the previous festive period, drivers could also be checked for being under the influence of drugs thanks to the recent introduction of drug impairment testing as a result of new legislation.

The figures also revealed that 13 people were arrested on Christmas Day for drink-driving, while 44 people were arrested on New Year’s Day, having been tested at a Garda checkpoint.

Asst Commissioner Twomey said: “Even on Christmas Day, when families should be enjoying time with their loved ones, these people put themselves and others at serious risk.”