Driver caught travelling at 207km/h in Limerick during Garda operation

In the past week, the road traffic enforcement operation has seen gardaí carry out nearly 2,100 checkpoints

One driver was detected speeding at 207km/h in a 100km/h zone on the N18 in Ballinacurra (Weston), Co Limerick. Picture: Arthur Carron/Collins

Senior gardaí have pleaded for people who know of others driving while under the influence to “call them out” after another rash of road deaths saw December become one of the deadliest months of 2025.

Three more people lost their lives on Irish roads over the past week, bringing the total number for the month to 18, a significant rise on both March and April, the lower point of 2025 when 13 fatalities were recorded in both months.

In 2025 so far, 189 people have died on Irish roads. 

Gardaí said that there had been eight serious collisions across the country over the past week which saw a number of people sustain serious or life-threatening injuries.

Despite over 2,100 checkpoints being conducted over the past week, a further149 people were arrested for driving under the influence of a stimulant, while a further 4,600 people were detected for speeding offences.

One driver was detected speeding at 207km/h in a 100km/h zone on the N18 in Ballinacurra (Weston), Co Limerick.

Other notable top speeds detected include:

• 118km/h in a 50km/h zone on the North Circular Road, Dublin 7;
• 140km/h in a 60km/h zone on the N15 in Mullandrait, Stranorlar, Co Donegal;
• 167km/h in an 80km/h zone on the R430 road in Drumagh, Crettyard, Co Laois;
• 164km/h in a 120km/h zone on the M9 in Yellowbogcommon, Kilcullen, Co Kildare.

Addressing the media at a briefing outside Garda Headquarters in the Phoenix Park, Superintendent Liam Geraghty described December as having been a “particularly tragic month”, noting further that the 189 deaths seen on Irish roads to date in 2025 is the worst performance in terms of road safety recorded in over a decade.

The 149 people arrested for driving under the influence of either alcohol or drugs between December 22 and December 28 were in line with the figures posted from earlier in the month, with nearly 600 such arrests having been made since gardaí began their Christmas road safety campaign on December 1.

Supt Geraghty noted that 43% of the arrests seen in that time have been for drug-driving, predominantly illegal substances, with cannabis and cocaine being the major offenders.

“That’s 600 people who took alcohol or drugs and still made the conscious decision to get behind the wheel of a car, and put themselves, possibly their passengers, and all other road users at risk,” he said.

He added that there is a collective responsibility across society to work towards making Ireland’s roads safer.

“The vast majority of people using our roads are very, very compliant, very safe, very respectful. There is a very, very large minority who are not listening to that (road safety) message, but they also have family and friends, and there is a responsibility on all of us to call people out who are carrying out this kind of behaviour,” Supt Geraghty said.

“If you’re in a car when somebody is being distracted on their device, call it out. If you know somebody is taking drugs or alcohol, call them out. You might actually save their life.

“If you know that somebody is putting themselves at risk, why wouldn’t you challenge them? Why wouldn’t you ask them to moderate their behaviour, rather than standing beside their funeral and grieving them?” he said.

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The Garda road safety campaign will continue across the New Year until January 5, with Supt Geraghty noting that the coming days will again represent “another very, very busy period on our roads”.

“(Wednesday) is New Year’s Eve. There will be lots of people out socialising and travelling to meet friends and families and enjoy the celebrations. New Year’s Day will be a family day with people travelling to meet loved ones,” he said.

“Our appeal again is over the next few days please be careful on our roads. We do not want to be knocking on anybody’s door again before the end of 2025 or at the start of 2026”.