More than twice the number of speeding offences were detected over the August bank holiday weekend than for the same period last year, Garda figures have shown.
Over the holiday 4,203 speeding offences were detected, compared to 1,902 for the same weekend last year.
Half this year's offences were detected in the Dublin region, showing that "speeding is a problem in Dublin", said Chief Supt Denis Fitzpatrick, director of the Garda National Traffic Bureau.
Drink-driving offences detected also increased substantially compared with the same time last year.
There was a "high visibility enforcement presence" by gardai over the weekend, said Chief Supt Fitzpatrick.
There were two road deaths over the weekend, compared with 12 in the same period last year. The number of drink-driving offences detected rose from 166 in 2000 to 278. Dangerous driving detections increased to 241, from 169 last year.
The offences were registered between midnight on Thursday and midnight on Monday.
Supt Tom Murphy of the Garda National Traffic Bureau described the figures as "alarming" and said there would be increased Garda enforcement every weekend in future.
Chief Supt Fitzpatrick said there was a rise in offences in each of the Garda regions: Dublin metropolitan region, northern region, eastern region, southern region, western region and south-eastern region. He said the major variation between the regions was the increase in speeding in the Dublin area, which accounted for half the total number.
The Garda Commissioner, Mr Pat Byrne, had ordered extra resources be deployed to ensure road safety over the weekend.
Chief Supt Fitzpatrick said a "substantial" increase in the amount of Garda resources had been deployed at the weekend, including "high visibility checkpoints and patrols". Gardai concentrated on four areas: driving while intoxicated; dangerous driving; speeding; and the non-wearing of a seat belt.
In Co Mayo, 516 motorists were detected for speeding offences in the past week, and 17 motorists were arrested for suspected drink-driving.
Chief Supt John Carey, head of the Mayo Garda Division, described the number of drink-driving arrests as particularly high and disappointing.
In the first half of this year, Gardai issued 164,000 on-the-spot fines for speeding and detected 6,260 drink-driving offences. They also issued 32,500 on-the-spot fines for speeding. For 2000, gardai issued 224,260 on-the-spot fines for speeding and apprehended 10,430 for drink-driving offences.
This was a big increase on 1999, when gardai issued 177,250 on the spot fines for speeding, and detected 9,790 drink-driving offences.
Chief Supt Fitzpatrick said there would be "no complacency" when dealing with road traffic offences. He said some people were "still not getting the message" about road safety. Motorists needed to realise "if they do it, they will get caught".
He added that only a small proportion of the State's motorists were breaking the law, and he urged people to inform gardai about any offences they witnessed.