Ireland

Fifty drivers caught speeding at start of ‘Slow Down’ day

Fifty drivers were caught speeding in the first two hours of a Garda ‘Slow Down’ day initiative (PA)
Fifty drivers were caught speeding in the first two hours of a Garda ‘Slow Down’ day initiative (PA)
By David Young and Jonathan McCambridge, PA

More than 125 drivers were caught speeding in the first five hours of a Garda ‘slow down’ day initiative.

One of the 127 motorists detected driving in excess of the speed limit was travelling at 155km/h on the M6 in Westmeath, gardai said.

The proactive 24-hour operation comes amid a significant rise in road deaths in Ireland.

As of Sunday evening, there had been 127 deaths on Irish roads so far in 2023.

That is 23 more than the same period last year and 38 more than the same period in 2019.

A third of all deaths in 2023 have been people under the age of 25 and a quarter have been pedestrians.

There were 25 deaths in August alone.

Operation Slow Down, supported by the Road Safety Authority, began at 7am on Monday.

The aim is to remind drivers of the dangers of speeding, increase compliance with speed limits and deter driving at excessive or inappropriate speeds.

The date was picked to coincide with the full return of all schools and the related rise in road users.

However, gardai said with the alarming increase in the number of deaths this year and in recent months, the operation has taken on an “increased urgency and relevance”.

Assistant Commissioner Paula Hilman said: “The trauma on our roads so far in 2023 is and will have lasting impacts on families and communities.

“An Garda Siochana continues to carry out speed enforcement across our roads.

“Every driver has a personal responsibility to not only drive within the posted speed limit but also to drive at a speed appropriate to the conditions.”

Sam Waide, chief executive of the Road Safety Authority, said there is a “speed epidemic” in Ireland.

He added: “This must change. We must tackle the attitude that speeding is safe and acceptable.

“Speeding increases both the likelihood of a road traffic collision occurring and the severity of injury sustained, should a collision occur.

“Speed has a huge impact on whether a vulnerable road user is killed or seriously injured when a collision occurs.”

The operation is consisting of high-visibility speed enforcement at selected safety camera zones and other spots.