An Garda Síochána has detected a driver speeding at 51km/h over the limit among more than 11,000 vehicles checked so far as part of its national Slow Down Day. The driver was detected by the Dundalk traffic corps driving at 171km/h in a 120km/h zone on the M1.
The driver was one of 56 detected speeding so far today.
An Garda Síochána has taken the unusual step of announcing the locations of a number of vehicle speed checks to be mounted as part of the 24-hour operation, which began at 7am on Friday. It will see checkpoints set up across the Republic, including on the following roads:
Vehicle detected by Dundalk Traffic Corp at 171kph in 120
— An Garda Síochána (@GardaTraffic) May 26, 2017
zone on M1 motorway while conducting speed checks as part of operation slowdown pic.twitter.com/rPipnMGOL0
• R683 Ballymaclode, Waterford, Waterford
• N14 Drumnahoagh, Letterkenny, Donegal
• R700 Dangan, Thomastown, Kilkenny
• N18 Glenbrack, Gort, Galway
• R463 Gortatogher, Ardnacrusha, Clare
• R521 Grouselodge, Ardagh, Limerick
• N72 Fermoy, Fermoy, Cork
More than 1,000 separate checks will be set up, so many motorists can expect to see some enforcement while driving.
Other speeds recorded so far today include:
• 100km/h in a 60km/h zone on the R418 at Youngstown, Athy, Kildare
• 95km/h in a 60km/h zone on the R463 at Gortatogher, Ardnacrusha, Clare
• 94km/h in a 60km/h zone on the N25 at Raheen, New Ross, Kilkenny
• 121km/h in a 100km/h zone on the N15 at Mount Temple, Grange, Sligo
Last year the Garda detected almost 1,000 breaches of speed limits and 114 collisions, 20 of them serious. There was one fatality in the Meath division.
This year’s operation will also see Garda personnel at display stands in key venues, providing road-safety advice and handing out road-safety leaflets.
Assistant commissioner Michael Finn appealed for support for the initiative and asked motorists to reduce speed far below the limit where necessary.
“As of today’s date there has been fewer road fatalities compared to last year, but we can never be complacent and say the job is done. Excessive or inappropriate speed is still a major factor in road traffic collisions, along with many other causes. Please help us to make the roads safer by taking greater care in everything you do on the roads – and especially by supporting this Friday’s Slow Down Day,” he said.
There was a marked increase in road deaths in 2016, to 188, many of them linked to speed. As a general rule a 1 per cent reduction in average speed brings about a 4 per cent reduction in fatal collisions, the Garda said.
