Many road users fail to observe speed limits on the national road network with trucks breaching inter-urban limits even more than cars, according to results issued by the National Roads Authority.
The figures show that from September 1997 to July 1998, the percentage of cars exceeding limits varied from 18 per cent in December 1997 to 28 per cent in July 1998.
The statistics on trucks revealed breaches of the inter-urban limit of 50 miles per hour which varied between 37 per cent in January 1998 and 42 per cent in March this year.
The authority notes that a feature of the results was the greater observance of speed limits by road users during the Christmas period. This reflected the intensified enforcement efforts mounted by the Garda
The speed information was compiled from automatic traffic counters installed by the authority on national roads throughout the State. At present, 65 counters are in operation and this will increase to a total of 108 over the coming year.
The counters, intended primarily to provide data on traffic volumes, also have the capacity to record estimated vehicle speeds. This information is made available by the authority to the Garda.
The authority says excess speed is a widespread problem in Europe. A European Transport Safety Council report on speed in 1994 showed Ireland with 36 per cent of cars exceeding the general speed limit.
Two countries on a list of seven were lower than Ireland, with Spain at 16 per cent and Britain at 7 per cent.