Nearly 4,000 motorists caught breaking speed limit in last six days

A total of 116 people have been killed on Irish roads so far in 2024. Picture: Dan Linehan

Gardaí caught nearly 4,000 motorists breaking the speed limit on Irish roads over the past six days, equating to an average of one speeding detection every two minutes. 

Between 7am last Thursday and 7am on Wednesday, gardaí have been monitoring the speeds of motorists across the country as part of their August bank holiday weekend roads policing operation.

Over the course of this period, some 3,886 drivers were clocked driving in excess of the speed limits.

One road user was caught travelling at 105km/h in a 50km/h zone in the Seapoint Promenade area of Galway city, while another was caught doing 161km/h in an 80km/h zone on the R188 at Cootehill, Co Cavan. 

Other notable detections include:

• 88km/h in a 50km/h zone on the Malahide Rd in Donnycarney, Dublin;
• 145km/h in a 100km/h zone on the N15 near Ballyshannon, Co Donegal;
• 107km/h in a 60km/h zone on the N4, Carrick-on-Shannon, Co Roscommon;
• 164km/h in a 100km/h zone on the N3 near Cavan;
• 81kp/h in a 50km/h zone on the R394 at Finnea, Co Westmeath; 
• 186km/h in a 100km/h zone on the N24 close to Piltown, Co Kilkenny. 

There were 11 serious collisions on roads across the country over the past six days, leaving three people dead and 12 others seriously injured. 

It means that 116 people have now been killed on Irish roads so far in 2024 — an increase of 13 on the same period last year.

An Garda Síochána also carried out more than 1,017 mandatory intoxicant testing (MIT) checkpoints nationwide over this period, where 4,918 roadside drug and alcohol tests were conducted and 180 people were arrested for driving under the influence of an intoxicant.

Some 574 motorists were hit with fixed-charge offences over the past six days: 294 for using a mobile phone, 174 for being an unaccompanied learner driver, and 106 for not wearing a seatbelt. 

The roads policing operation also saw 115 vehicles seized from learner-permit holders driving unaccompanied, and a further 450 vehicles seized for having no tax or insurance.

A Garda spokesperson described the statistics as "disappointing" and said some drivers are continuing "to travel at dangerously excessive speeds on Irish roads" despite recent public awareness campaigns and efforts by both gardaí and relevant partners such as the Road Safety Authority (RSA) urging motorists to slow down.

Anyone prepared to drive at the speeds detected over the course of the August bank holiday weekend has the potential to destroy lives, including their own. 

"Enforcing road traffic laws is a core element of road safety," said the spokesperson. "However, there is a personal responsibility on every road user to exert caution to ensure their safety and the safety of others."