Four nabbed in daytime drink-drive checkpoint

Four people were arrested for suspected drink driving offences in under an hour at lunchtime last Sunday on the east side of the city, the Galway City Tribune has learned.

A mandatory alcohol Garda checkpoint in the Briarhill/Ballybrit area between noon and 1pm on Sunday, ‘netted’ four drivers who were over the legal alcohol limit.

Gardai do not believe that those arrested were ‘victims’ of Saturday night ‘binges’ and more than likely had consumed alcohol shortly before being stopped.

Concerns among Garda chiefs are now increasing as the detection numbers continue to rise in Galway for drink driving.

Between July 1 and July 16 last, 24 drivers in the greater Galway region were arrested for suspected drink driving offences – nine of those were in the city area.

Garda Chief Superintendent Tom Curley told the Galway City Tribune that there was ‘growing concern’ over the high detection rate for drink driving both in the city and county areas.

“What is worrying as well is the high percentage of drivers in the 20 to 40 age group who are testing positive for alcohol.

“For some reason – and we’re not really sure why – more drivers seem to be ‘chancing’ drinking and driving, but they are getting caught,” said Chief Supt. Curley.

He also said that given the current high detection rates, Gardai were now giving active consideration to deploying more resources to MATs (mandatory alcohol testing) and to other detection methods.

“The message we want to get out loud and clear is that checks for driving with alcohol are a 24:7 operation. Regardless of the time of day that someone is on the road, they will face mandatory alcohol checkpoints,” said Chief Supt. Curley.

He also stressed that the Gardai were not on any ‘persecution crusade’ as regards alcohol checks, adding that road safety was at the heart of the campaign.

“Every year on our roads, hundreds of Irish people either lose their lives or are maimed for life. There is a direct link between driving with alcohol in your systems and road accidents – we need to drive that message home,” said Chief Supt. Curley.