Driving offences detected over Easter weekend

A suspected drug driver and a number of people driving in excess of the legal limit were just some of those caught throughout the Easter Bank Holiday Weekend, when an extensive Garda Roads Policing campaign was in operation.

The operation took place between 7am on Thursday, March 28 to 7am this morning Tuesday, April 2.

There were three fatalities on Irish roads during this period, and 13 serious collisions that resulted in people receiving serious and life-threatening injuries.

Since January 1, 2024, 58 people have been killed on Irish roads – 16 more lives lost in road traffic collisions than this time last year.

Over this past Bank Holiday period, An Garda Síochána carried out more than 1,070 Mandatory Intoxicant Testing (MIT) checkpoints.

Over 5,000 roadside drug and alcohol tests were conducted which led to 177 arrests for driving under the influence of an intoxicant.

Over a quarter of these arrests occurred between 8am and 2pm.

In the past 24 hours (7am Monday -7am Tuesday) 36 people were arrested under suspicion of driving under the influence of an intoxicant.

One of these arrests was on Saturday, March 30, when members of the regular unit in Cavan Town stopped a vehicle driving in a erratic manner.

After stopping the car it transpired the driver was driving under the influence of cannabis following a positive oral fluid test. On arrest a blood sample was taken for testing at the Medical Bureau for Road Safety.

This driver now faces a Court appearance.

In neighbouring Monaghan meanwhile members of the Monaghan Roads Policing Unit detained three cars at a checkpoint.

Two of the drivers were unaccompanied learner drivers with non display of L plates and one had no driving licence.

Two of the drivers were also not wearing seatbelts.

Each driver will receive Fixed Payment Notices and summonses will follow for some offences.

Throughout the weekend, more than 2,630 drivers were also detected for speeding offences.

Chief Superintendent, Jane Humphries of the Garda National Roads Policing Bureau said: "The past weekend was another very busy period on Irish roads, and a lot of people will be on the move again this week with many schools off for the midterm break.

"Gardaí nationwide continue do all that they can to ensure that road users are safe and that those who break road traffic laws are detected, but the issues on our roads at present require the attention of every single person.

"Every driver is responsible for their own driving behaviour – there is no excuse whatsoever to get behind the wheel of a car under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs. Keep your eyes always on the road - there is no valid reason to drive while distracted by your phone and that includes swiping on apps or paying attention to a map on your device.

"We are seeing some extremely dangerous driving behaviour that must be stopped. Slow down. Be patient and be mindful of your actions while in control of the vehicle you’re driving. Responsible driving habits keep yourself and other road users safe. It is as simple as that.”