Three deaths and almost 200 arrests for drunk driving over bank holiday weekend

There were three deaths and eight serious collisions which caused life-threatening injuries on Irish roads over the August bank holiday, garda figures reveal. 

Road fatalities are up by 12 on last year's figure. 

Throughout the August Bank Holiday Weekend, an extensive Garda Roads Policing Operation was in place between 7am Thursday, 3rd of August 2023 to 7am Wednesday, 9th of August 2023.

To date this year, 104 people have died on Irish roads. That is 12 more lives lost than this time last year.

There were over 1,100 on the spot fines issued with almost 200 people arrested for driving under the influence. 

Over the bank holiday period, An Garda Síochána carried out 900 Mandatory Intoxicant Testing (MIT) checkpoints. 4,006 roadside drug and alcohol tests were conducted which led to 196 arrests for driving under the influence of an intoxicant.

Throughout the weekend, Garda Roads Policing Units were out detecting those speeding and issued over 1,143 on the spot Fixed Charge Penalty Notices for speeding offences.

Of the 837,171 vehicles checked for speeding by Go-Safe nationwide, 2,841 drivers were detected for speeding.

Notable top speeds detected in each speed zone include:
• 130km/h in a 50km/h zone on the R463 Corbally Road, Limerick
• 128km/h in a 60km/h zone on the Stillorgan Road, Blackrock, Dublin
• 147km/h in a 80km/h zone on the R178 Redbog, Carrickmacross, Louth
• 166km/h in a 100km/h zone on the N26 Ballynahaglish, Ballina, Mayo
• 203km/h in a 120km/h zone on the M8 Ballinaglanna North, Kilworth, Cork

Fixed Charge Offences for other road offences during this period included:
• Using Mobile Phones – 209
• Unaccompanied learner drivers – 134
• No Seatbelts – 91

In addition:
• 77 vehicles were seized from learner permit holders driving unaccompanied
• 146 vehicles seized for being uninsured
• 155 vehicles were seized for having no tax

There was a 58% reduction in serious injury road traffic collisions in comparison to the same weekend in 2022.

This also represents a 66% reduction in serious injury collisions against the previous five August Bank Holiday Weekends.

Assistant Commissioner Paula Hilman, Roads Policing and Community Engagement Garda National Roads Policing Bureau said: "As our enforcement data demonstrates, the August Bank Holiday Weekend was especially busy on Irish roads.

"Gardaí were out across the country helping to keeping all road users safe by enforcing road traffic laws through checkpoints, road side testing for intoxicants and checking for speed and other life saver offences.

"We had a huge amount of positive support from motorists and we want to acknowledge this because this helps us and our partners to avoid a higher number of fatal and serious injury road traffic collisions.

"All those who suffer the loss of a loved one on our roads are in our thoughts. We continue to do all we can to raise awareness among all road users that we must work together to keep our roads safe”.

An Garda Síochána continues to appeal to all road users to never drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs, to slow down and to always choose a speed that is appropriate to the driving conditions, to wear your seatbelt and never use a mobile phone while driving.