GARDAÍ have warned
motorists they will crack down on all driving
offences this Christmas including drunk driving,
speeding, car defects as well as insurance, NCT and
tax breaches.
So far this festive season 413 people nationally
have been arrested for drink driving with 26,500
people breath tested. Six people have been killed on
the nation's roads so far this month. Gardaí are
also distributing 30,000 hi-viz items as part of the
force's Christmas Campaign 2013.
Assistant Commissioner John Twomey said: "I want to
send a very strong message to all drivers and remind
them that members of An Garda Síochána are out in
force all around the country, targeting this and
other key life saver road offences. Never ever drink
and drive. It’s just not worth it."
Meanwhile, interim CEO of the Road Safety Authority,
John Caulfield, added: "179 people have died on our
roads so far this year, 22 more than the same period
last year. And sadly, by the end of this year, road
deaths will have increased on Irish roads for the
first time since 2005.”
The Garda Christmas enforcement campaign will focus
on the key lifesaver offences such as driving under
the influence, speeding, using mobile phones and non
use of seatbelts. There will be an increase in the
number of Mandatory Alcohol Testing MAT checkpoints
performed, and they will be carried out on a
targeted, 24/7 basis. Speeding enforcement by the
GoSafe safety camera vans will also increase to
7,375 hours of monitoring over the month of
December. There are also several educational and
safety initiatives included in this campaign. |
