Gardaí in Galway launch Bank Holiday roads crackdown

Garda checkpoints will be set up across the city and county targeting drink driving and speeding over the Halloween Bank Holiday weekend.

And motorists driving ‘the morning after’ a night out have also been warned that they could be over the limit.

Superintendent Noel Kelly, Head of Traffic for the Garda Western Region, said that more than one-in-ten drink driving arrests happened between 8am and 2pm, and Gardaí will be on the roads this weekend in marked and unmarked cars.

“Gardaí will be patrolling the roads network throughout Western Region over the Bank Holiday Weekend period in both marked and unmarked vehicles and would like to remind drivers that in addition to mandatory breath testing, they can breath-tested if they commit any road traffic offence.

“In particular, I would remind drivers of the dangers of driving the morning after the night before. Twelve per cent of all drink driving arrests occur between 8am and 2pm and of those, almost a third happen on a Sunday, peaking between 11am and 2pm

“So it is critical that drivers take measures to ensure their safety and the safety of others and this means leaving the car at home and taking a taxi or public transport the morning after if they need to get somewhere. It’s just not worth the chance if you are still over the legal limit,” said Supt Kelly.

So far this year, nine people have lost their lives on roads in Galway.

Speaking generally about serious and fatal road collisions, Supt Kelly said: “Inappropriate speed, drink driving, seatbelts, poor vehicle lighting and faulty tyres are the greatest contributory factors to road deaths and serious injuries at this time of the year.

“As this is the last Bank Holiday before the Christmas period, there will be an increase in traffic as many will be travelling to different parts of the country. The school holidays will also be commencing for all school children, so we appeal to all motorists and motorcyclists to slow down, always wear their seatbelts, wear the appropriate safety clothing at all times, be well rested and never ever drink and drive.

“Over the October Bank Holiday period, many people will set out to visit family and friends and in doing so, some will undertake long road journeys. Drivers are urged to be vigilant and to take all necessary steps to ensure their safety and the safety of other road users. Drivers should allow plenty of time for their journeys and not to drive if they are tired.

“Bank Holiday weekends are typically high risk periods due to the high volumes of traffic on the national road network,” he said.

The traffic chief added that failure to wear seatbelts and defective tyres – which now carry penalty points – will also be targeted over the weekend.

He said cyclists and pedestrians should wear appropriate clothing during hours of darkness, and cyclists should ensure they have the correct lights.