121 drink or drug driving arrests so far this BH weekend

During the recent bank holiday weekend, 121 drivers have been arrested on suspicion of drink or drug driving, according to gardaí. The roads policing operation kicked off on Thursday morning and will persist until tomorrow morning. Superintendent Liam Geraghty highlighted that one driver was clocked traveling at 172 km/h in a 120 km/h zone, while another in Clontarf, Dublin, was detected at 115 km/h in a 50 km/h zone.

A driver was also found to be speeding at 101 km/h in a 60 km/h zone on the R463 Rosmadda West, Parteen, in Co Clare. Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Supt Geraghty emphasized that two road deaths over the bank holiday weekend underscore the dangers of road travel. He added that a motorcyclist in his 40s died after a collision in Leighlinbridge, Co Carlow, and a man in his 20s lost his life after a crash in Pettigo, Co Donegal.

The gardaí are actively enforcing the campaign, with almost 3,400 drivers detected for speeding and 310 drivers caught using a mobile phone or not wearing a seatbelt. Over 119,000 fixed charge notices have been issued for speeding since January 1, and more than 14,500 for using a mobile phone while driving, along with over 3,000 for not wearing a seatbelt.

Additionally, over 18,000 vehicles were seized by gardaí due to the drivers being found without insurance, driving license, NCT/CVRT, or being unaccompanied learner drivers. This year, 110 people have lost their lives on Irish roads.