Appeal for drivers to slow down, after eight road deaths over long weekend

Gardai have urged drivers to slow down, after eight people were killed in six road crashes over the June bank holiday weekend.

Already this year 79 people have died on Irish roads – an increase of 15 over the same period in 2019.

That includes a fatal crash in Cavan on Thursday.

Speaking near the Navan Road in Dublin, Assistant Commissioner Paula Hilman said: “We see first hand the impact because it’s all Garda members who are going to that person’s door.

“Never underestimate the impact that has on those families.

“It leaves people devastated.”

She said that no one sets out to get into a collision when driving a car or vehicle, but urged people to be careful when driving.

She flagged the dangers of drink and drug driving, as well as speeding and inattention on the roads.

Gardai mounted a major operation on Irish roads over the bank holiday weekend, with 182 arrests for alleged drink and drug driving as well as 817 mandatory intoxicant testing checkpoints across the country.

In total, over 1,500 checkpoints were carried out by gardai over the long weekend.

There were nearly 3,000 detections for speeding offences by gardai over the weekend.

Chief Superintendent Michael Hennebry from the Garda National Traffic Bureau said in particular gardai were urging all drivers to slow down.

He said that speeding was a “major contributor” to crashes and accidents.

“We really are appealing to everyone to keep to the speed limits and slow down.”

Over the weekend, 311 vehicles were also detained for a range of offences including the lack of a driving licence, no insurance and no NCT.