'Beyond belief' that some people believe it is acceptable to drive while intoxicated
Chief Superintendent Jane Humphries of the Garda National Road Traffic Bureau: 'Unfortunately, there is an element that still thinks it’s within their right to drive whatever speed they like intoxicated and being distracted.' Picture: Brian Lawless/PA
It is “beyond belief” that some people think it is acceptable to drive while intoxicated, the Chief Superintendent of the Garda National Road Traffic Bureau has said.
Chief Superintendent Jane Humphries said that there were 14 deaths on Irish roads during the gardaí' s Christmas safety appeal that ran from December 1 2023 to January 4 2024.
There were 184 fatalities on Irish roads last year, compared to 155 deaths in 2022.
She said this compares to 17 deaths during the previous Christmas period, but that the reduction “is not a good news story”.
“We would like to see those reductions far lower than what they actually are.”
She said it was “dreadful” that three people had already been killed on Irish roads in the first few days of 2024.
“During that time [the Christmas period], we had many arrests for intoxicated driving, one per hour, 25% of those were solely for drugs, which means that the remaining 75% were alcohol and a combination of drugs and alcohol.
“So during that time, our roads policing and our regular members concentrated the factors that we know are causing accidents, holidays collisions on our roads.”
She said that inappropriate speed for weather conditions, intoxicated driving and distracted driving were among the reasons why accidents take place on roads.
She said that intoxicated driving involves both illegal on prescribed drugs.
“It is beyond belief that people still believe that it is acceptable to do that in today’s day and age.”
She added: “It’s not a case of people being poor drivers.
“I see examples of fantastic drivers every day, the majority of people on the roads are good, sensible law-abiding, drivers.
“Unfortunately, there is an element that still thinks it’s within their right to drive whatever speed they like intoxicated and being distracted.”
She said that distracted driving is not just having a mobile phone to your ear.
“We’re talking about mobile phones that are mounted on our dashboards, when we’re using our apps, when we’re talking to our passengers we are distracted from other activities that are happening perhaps on the carriageway beside us.
“So distracted driving is not just about the use of mobile phones.
“Anyone who takes their eyes off the road for a second that is careless at best, at worst dangerous driving.
“And then there is the wearing of seatbelts.
“We know that 25% of passengers and drivers who are killed on our roads are not wearing their seatbelt.”
