Driver caught at 188km/h on M50 as thousands of fines issued over Bank Holiday weekend

Throughout the operation, gardaí carried out more than 830 Mandatory Intoxicant Testing (MIT) checkpoints. Picture: Stephen Collins/Collins Photos

A motorist was caught speeding at 188km/h in a 100km/h zone on the M50 at Templeogue in Dublin over the Bank Holiday weekend, as part of a nationwide garda road safety operation.

The excessive speed was among nearly 3,000 speeding offences recorded between 7am on Thursday, May 29, and 7am on Tuesday, June 3, during an extensive roads policing operation targeting dangerous driving behaviour.

Other notable speeding detections included:

• 99km/h in a 50km/h zone at Clones, Co Monaghan;
• 114km/h in a 60km/h zone at Dunboyne, Co Meath;
• 119km/h in an 80km/h zone at Broadford, Co Kildare.

Throughout the operation, gardaí carried out more than 830 Mandatory Intoxicant Testing (MIT) checkpoints.

These resulted in over 4,000 breath tests and around 270 oral fluid tests, leading to 167 arrests for suspected intoxicated driving.

Tragically, there was one fatality reported across the weekend, while 14 serious collisions left 14 people with severe or life-threatening injuries.

In addition to speeding, Gardaí issued fixed charge notices for a range of offences including:

• Over 210 for using mobile phones while driving;
• More than 215 for unaccompanied learner drivers;
• Over 70 for failure to wear seatbelts.

A total of 99 vehicles were seized from unaccompanied learner permit holders, while 380 vehicles were taken off the road for lacking tax or insurance.

Gardaí have renewed appeals for all motorists to slow down, never drive under the influence of drink or drugs, wear seatbelts, and remain focused while driving.