More than 600 motorists were caught speeding over the weekend despite a national slowdown campaign.
Garda Assistant Commissioner Paula Hilman, who is in charge of roads policing, said there is still a cohort of motorists who did not obey the speed limits despite multiple warnings from gardaí.
Such motorists were putting “me, you and everybody else at risk,” she said.
Excessive speeds were particularly noted at lower speed limit roads such as those with 50, 80 and 100km/h speed limits where most fatalities on Irish roads occur.
“Those speed are there for a reason because there are vulnerable people using those roads, cyclists and pedestrians,” she said.
There were 101 arrests for driving under the influence over the weekend, a figure that’s higher than normal. It amounts to one an hour over the weekend.
She urged the public to “call out” those who would get into their cars while drunk. “It is increasing your risk of killing somebody else,” she said. “We know it is not an easy thing to do, but it is vital.”
To date this year, 170 people have lost their lives in road traffic collisions on Irish roads, 11 down on the same period last year.
She said the fatalities for this year are still “far too high” and it amounts to 170 sudden deaths this year and 170 empty seats at the Christmas table.
Meanwhile, new figures show 149 teachers from 24 counties have participated in the first phase of the new Road Safety Matters Transition Year (TY) programme.
In September, the Road Safety Authority launched the programme supported by An Garda Síochána.
Minister for Education Norma Foley said: “As Minister for Education, I have visited schools the length and breadth of the country and it is an inordinate sadness to me when a much-loved and a much-treasured student has been lost in a road fatality collision.
“The strong participation from our schools in this first stage of roll-out of the new TY road safety programme is a real indication of their appetite and willingness to deliver this education for a critical group of road users.
“For our students celebrating with family and friends over the festive season, I’d encourage you to stay safe, and drive carefully. We need to remember that road safety is a responsibility for all of us to address, not just schools. Road safety matters to each and every one of us.”
In the North the PSNI is operating Operation Season’s Greetings. Between December 1st and 15th they arrested 132 motorists for drink driving.
To date 64 people have been killed this year on the North’s roads .
- Sign up for push alerts and have the best news, analysis and comment delivered directly to your phone
- Join The Irish Times on WhatsApp and stay up to date
- Listen to our Inside Politics podcast for the best political chat and analysis
