SPEEDING offences on Northern Ireland roads remain high despite a huge reduction in traffic, police have revealed.
With roads much quieter during the coronavirus lockdown, there are concerns that some motorists are using the freer highways to drive faster.
Traffic levels have fallen by 60 per cent in the last month, but there has not been a corresponding decrease in speeding offences.
PSNI Inspector Rosie Leech said police detected 2,314 motorists breaking the speed limit since St Patrick’s Day, with one driver caught at 112mph on the Belfast to Bangor road.
“Taken together with the recently released drink drive detection figures, as we all work together to try and minimise unnecessary pressure on our NHS and emergency service colleagues, it is particularly disappointing that so many people have decided to put lives at risk by driving at excessive speeds.”
She warned that while there was less traffic, more pedestrians, including children and older people, and more cyclists are using the roads.
“It is critically important that we all look out for each other,” she said.
Gardaí in border counties have also expressed concern over motorists flouting speeding and other traffic laws.
“There has been an unusually high amount of arrests for drink/drug driving right across Donegal over the past week,” a spokesman said.
Sinn Féin assembly member Cathal Boylan called on infrastructure minister, Nichola Mallon to consider a temporary reduction in speed limits.
The Newry and Armagh assembly member said: “There are concerns that quieter roads during the coronavirus could lead to faster driving. This in turn could lead to tragic accidents and extra pressure on the health service.”
