Gardai will be out in full force this week, with a nationwide 24-hour speed enforcement operation set for Wednesday, April 9.
Beginning at midnight tonight, officers will carry out major speed checks across the country as part of National Slow Down Day. The initiative aims to raise awareness about the dangers of speeding and encourage motorists to drive safely.
The operation will take place at selected 'speed enforcement zones' located throughout Ireland. There are over 1,000 of these and you check the full list of locations on the Garda website here. Alternatively, you can use this interactive map of Garda mobile safety cameras that are in use nationwide.
This is the second National Slow Down Day of the year, and gardai are urging the public to support the initiative by slowing down and being mindful of their speed. With spring now here, the number of pedestrians and cyclists on the roads is expected to rise, making it even more important for drivers to adjust their behaviour and drive with extra caution as the days grow longer.
The force has appealed for everyone to play their part in keeping the roads safe. They are encouraging people to have conversations with friends, family and colleagues about the importance of safe driving and the risks associated with speeding.
So far this year, more than 32,880 Fixed Charge Notices have been issued to motorists for speeding - that is an average of over 335 speeding offenses detected daily.
Chief Superintendent Jane Humphries of the Garda National Roads Policing Bureau said: "National Slow Down Day is not about catching motorists speeding, in fact we would much prefer to not detect anyone breaking the speed limit. Our 24-hour targeted initiative is aimed at getting people to talk about their driving behaviour. To be more mindful of it and the risks that they may take when behind the wheel.
"We are asking that you chat to family, friends, colleague's even neighbours – please remind them to slow down, drive safely and without distraction. No one likes to ever consider that when they get behind the wheel of a car to take a journey, that they very well may not make it there. There is every possibility if you are speeding that you won’t."
Sarah O’Connor from theRoad Safety Authority, stressed the importance of slowing down. She said: "There is clear scientific evidence showing that speed directly affects the likelihood and severity of collisions. Lower speeds give drivers more time to react to unexpected hazards, reducing the chance of a collision, and they significantly reduce injury severity, as the force of a collision increases exponentially with speed."
Gardai added that speeding while driving is one of the most dangerous driving practices, because the faster the speed, the more severe the impact, and the much deadlier the consequences.
Statistically, one in ten pedestrians hit by car travelling at 30km/h will die of their injuries. Five in ten of those out walking and struck by a car travelling 50km/h will be killed, and a car being driven at 60km/h and hits a pedestrian as a nine in ten chance of the collision being fatal.
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