Clare motorists urged to slow down as 24-hour operation targeting 'speed epidemic' begins

MOTORISTS in Clare and across the country are being advised that gardai will be out in force this Monday as part of a 24-hour clampdown on speeding offences.

National Slow Down Day, which began at 7am, will continue until 7am on Tuesday and will see gardai conduct a number of high profile checkpoints at locations across the Banner county.

Nationally, nearly 130 people have died in road collisions across the country since January - almost a quarter more than for the same period last year.

Gardai and the Road Safety Authority say the aim of National Slow Down day is to remind drivers of the dangers of speeding, to increase compliance with speed limits and act as a deterrent to driving at excessive or inappropriate speed.

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This Monday was picked to coincide with the full return of all schools and the related increase in roads users, particularly vulnerable road users, pedestrians, pedal cyclists and specifically younger road users.

A provisional analysis of road deaths so far in 2023 shows one-in-three of those who died were under the age of 25; approximately one-in-four were pedestrians; approximately one-in-four of all deaths were passengers in vehicles while a fifth of the deaths occurred in August.

As part of the 24-hour operation, gardai are appealing to all drivers to support Operation Slow Down whether using their vehicle for a personal journey, commuting to work or driving for work. 

While more than 105,000 vehicles have been detected travelling in excess of the speed limit so far this year, garda say inappropriate speed for the prevailing traffic, road, weather and vehicle conditions is also a significant factor in road traffic collisions.
 
"The greater the speed, even within posted speed limits, the greater the likelihood is of a collision happening and the bigger the impact and severe the outcome for those involved in a road traffic collision," said a spokesperson.

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Commenting ahead of National Slow Down Day, Assistant Commissioner Paula Hilman said: "The trauma on our roads so far in 2023 is and will have lasting impacts on families and communities.  An Garda Síochána continues to carry out speed enforcement across our roads.  Every driver has a personal responsibility to not only drive within the posted speed limit but also to drive at a speed appropriate to the conditions." 

She added: "Speeding is reckless, not just to the motorists themselves and their passengers, but to all road users, especially vulnerable pedestrians and cyclists. This is not just about speeding enforcement detections. It's about saving lives. I’m appealing to all road users to support us in our efforts to keep everybody safe on our roads.  Please slow down, check your speed, drive safely, not only on National Slow Down Day, but every day".
 
Sam Waide, CEO, Road Safety Authority, said there is currently a "speed epidemic" in Ireland.

"This must change. We must tackle the attitude that speeding is safe and acceptable. Speeding increases both the likelihood of a road traffic collision occurring, and the severity of injury sustained, should a collision occur. Speed has a huge impact on whether a vulnerable road user is killed or seriously injured when a collision occurs. We simply have to ask every single driver to play their part in saving lives, routinely slowing down for every single trip, every single day."