Safety Council issues Bank Holiday warning

People were today warned of the dangers of drink-driving, as the transport network and leisure facilities geared up for a busy bank holiday weekend across the country.

The National Safety Council issued a warning reminding road users that gardaí would be cracking down on drink driving over the high-risk August bank holiday.

Alan Richardson, acting chief executive of the National Safety Council, said recent research showed alcohol consumption could be a factor in as many as four out of 10 deaths on the road in Ireland each year.

“Even one drink will affect your driving ability as alcohol can impair the function of the brain. At half the legal limit drivers are twice as likely to be involved in a collision and at the legal limit drivers are six times more likely to have a collision,” he said.

He called on drivers to leave their keys at home and to use alternative forms of transport such as taxis instead of driving when they went out socialising.

In addition, Mr Richardson urged pedestrians who were intending to socialise over the bank holiday to drink in moderation.

Marine minister Pat the Cope Gallagher and the Irish Coast Guard also issued safety warnings ahead of the bank holiday.

The public were advised not to drink alcohol before going swimming and only to swim where there were lifeguards.

Boaters were told to wear lifejackets at all times, check the weather and tides, carry a marine radio and never go out alone.

Power boat, jet ski and surf kite users were also urged to respect other people on the water and to keep their distance from others.

The safety advice comes as hundreds of thousands of people were expected to head off to various destinations to enjoy the bank holiday.

Dublin Airport Authority said it was expecting more than 325,000 passengers to pass through the airport over the weekend, an 8% increase on last year.

More than 2,200 flights, including 330 charter flights, will arrive and depart from the airport and the Airport Authority urged people to arrive at least 90 minutes before their departure time to ensure they clear the security checks in plenty of time for their flights.

Bus Eireann was also predicting a busy weekend, with an estimated 200,000 passengers on long-distance and provincial services over the long weekend.

The company said it was offering a number of special offers and fare promotions and would be laying on extra buses as necessary on major routes.