AN GARDA Síochána has advised that its Easter road safety campaign will focus on motorists who are speeding, driving under the influence and using mobile phones.
Following a rise in the number of fatalities on the State’s roads in the first quarter of the year, gardaí will be mounting additional checkpoints across the country over this and next weekend.
A total of 61 people have died on the roads so far this year, up from 55 in the same period in 2010. The rise was attributed to motorists failing to heed warnings on drink driving and speeding.
The Easter and May bank holiday weekends have seen a number of collisions and crashes in the past two years, with 13 people dying and a further 33 sustaining injuries.
“I am asking every person in Ireland that uses the roads to make a commitment that they will do so safely and with care and consideration for the other people they meet along the way,” said assistant Garda commissioner for traffic John Twomey.
He said there was concern at a rise in the number of drivers detected driving under the influence and speeding over the St Patrick’s holiday.
Alcohol industry-funded drinkaware.ie has called on motorists to remember alcohol consumed the night before may still affect their ability to drive the following day.
“A glass of stout, lager, cider or a small glass of wine or a pub measure of spirits is equal to one standard drink, and one standard drink takes on average one hour to leave your system,” drinkaware chief executive Fionnuala Sheehan said.
Road Safety Authority chairman Gay Byrne said many people tended to become careless as they were more relaxed when driving over holiday periods.
“I’d like to warn people that it is dangerous out there, particularly over bank holiday time . . . Do a little more diligence, be a little more attentive of what’s around you and slacken off the speed,” he said.
Separately, the Dáil has passed the Road Traffic Bill 2011 which make it compulsory for gardaí to conduct a breath test at the scene of any road traffic collision where someone has been injured. Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar said the measures would start saving lives as soon as they come into force, which is expected to be within the next month.
