Gardaí have revealed the worst speeding offences detected by the GoSafe cameras since the start of the year, with one motorist in Co Donegal caught going 123km/h above the speed limit.
The motorist was detected driving at 223km/hin a 100km/h zone on the N15 in Ballymagrorty, Scotch Ballintra, Co Donegal.
Some of the other speeds detected by the GoSafe roadside vans fitted with speed cameras, this year include:
- 145km/h in a 50km/h zone on the N52 at Ardcroney, Co Tipperary
- 188km/h in a 60km/h zone on the N20 at Ballyfookeen, Bruree, Co Limerick
- 189km/h in a 80km/h zone on the N55 at Auburn Glasson, Co Westmeath
- 190km/h in a 120km/h zone on the M18 at Ballyline, Crusheen, Co Clare
The Garda released details of the worst offenders so far this year to highlight the continued problem of speeding on the State’s roads ahead of National Slow Down Day. The initiative begins on Friday at 7am and continues for 24 hours, during which 1,000 locations will be targeted with speed monitoring by the force.
As well as the increased speed detection measures, the Garda and Road Safety Authority have also been running a campaign via the media to urge drivers to slow down.
Rising
Chief Supt Paul Cleary, of the Roads Policing Bureau, said National Slow Down Day was staged a number of times each year but was of added importance this time around as the number of road deaths was rising.
Having fallen to record lows in recent years, the number of fatalities on the roads so far this year has reached 117, six deaths more than the same period last year.
“Whilst most drivers abide by the speed limits, there has been an increase of 15 per cent in detections to date in 2019 compared to 2018,” Chief Supt Cleary said. “It is also very disappointing to see some drivers detected driving considerably over the speed limit.”
He added it was crucial drivers lowered their speed, especially at this time of year when conditions were wetter and darker. This posed significant risk of drivers hitting pedestrians, cyclists and other vulnerable road users.
Road Safety Authority chief executive Moyagh Murdock said speeding motorists were the biggest killers on Irish roads.
“What a driver considers small increases in their speed could be the difference between life and death for such vulnerable road users,” she said. “A pedestrian or cyclist hit at 60km/h will only have a one in 10 chance of survival. However if hit at 30km/h, nine out of 10 will survive.”
