Gardaí pull over motorist driving erratically — and discover a pint in car's cupholder

Gardaí were taken aback to discover the drink in the car of driver they arrested under suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol

The photo posted on An Garda Síochána's official Twitter/X account showed the car with a pint glass sitting on its roof. Picture: Twitter/@GardaTraffic

Gardaí on a routine patrol were taken aback when they pulled over a motorist driving erratically and spotted there was a pint in the cup holder.

Officers on duty in Celbridge, north Kildare, arrested the driver and brought him to a garda station and a sample was taken, which tested positive.

A post on An Garda Síochána's official @GardaTraffic account on Twitter/X described it as a “close call” given that the car had been swerving between lanes on the Naas Road.

The post said: “Gardaí in Celbridge were on patrol in the early hours when they spotted this car swerving between lanes on the N4. A close call.

They pulled in the car and saw a pint in the cup holder, the driver tested positive for intoxicated driving and arrested. 

A further statement from the Garda Press Office said: “This driver was arrested under suspicion of driving under the influence of an intoxicant (alcohol) and relayed to a Garda station in the Kildare region. 

"A blood/urine sample was provided and the person was released pending analysis of this sample.” 

Over the St Brigid’s Day bank holiday weekend earlier this month, gardaí arrested 161 people for drink driving.

Garda figures also show that, up until the end of last September, there were in excess of 6,000 driving while intoxicated offences (drivers arrested on suspicion of drink/drug driving) recorded on the Garda Pulse system.

Drug driving detections accounted for over 35% of all driving while intoxicated detections.