More than 568 motorists caught speeding in 14 hours as part of Garda operation

Some 568 motorists were caught speeding in the first 14 hours of the Christmas Slow Down Day, which began at 7am on Friday.

As thousands of motorists crossed the country for the Christmas weekend the Garda’s National Safety Authority campaign has seen motorists detected at nearly twice the speed limit on some national secondary roads.

The national slow down day takes place as the number of deaths on the State’s roads so far this year is 156, some 28 above 2021, according to provisional figures from the Garda.

A feature of the detections has been motorists detected travelling in 100km/h zones, at speeds above the motorway speed limit of 120km/h.

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Gardaí said they were “very mindful” that nine people died on the roads last year between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.

In the third update of the 24-hour campaign issued on Friday evening, the Garda said the first 10 hours had seen a motorist travelling at 92km/h in a 50km/h zone on the N80, near Killeigh, Tullamore, Co Offaly.

Another motorist was caught driving at 88km/h in a 50km/h zone on Coolock Lane in Dublin.

Also in Dublin gardaí detected a driver travelling at 135km/h in a 80km/h Zone on the N4, at Ballydowd, in Lucan.

Other detections included:

• 97km/h in a 60km/h zone on the N4 at Drishoge, Carrick-On-Shannon, Co Roscommon

• 77km/h in a 50km/h zone on the Limerick Road, at Mallow, Co Cork

• 76km/h in a 50km/h zone on the N6 Baile An Phoill Gaillimh Gaillimh

• 88km/h in a 60km/h zone on the N11 at Ferrycarrig, Co Wexford

Motorists who exceeded motorway speeds in 100km/h zones included a driver who reached 146km/h on the N71 at Ballinvrinsig, Waterfall, Co Cork. Another driver hit 132km/h in a 100km/h zone on the N4, at The Downs, Co Westmeath.

Similar offences took place with drivers reaching:

• 129km/h in a 100km/h zone on the N25 at Garrahylish, Kilmacthomas Co Waterford

• 126km/h in a 100km/h zone on the N25 at Ballyadam, Cork

• 123km/h in a 100km/h zone on the N20 at Creggane, Charleville, Co Limerick

• 123km/h in a 100km/h zone on the N21 at Rineroe, Adare, Co Limerick

• 147km/h in a 120km/h zone on the M6 at Kilcurley, Moate, Co Offaly

Speed limits on motorways where the limit is 120km/h, the highest speed allowed on roads in the State, were also broken. Drivers were detected travelling at:

• 141km/h in a 120km/h zone on the M3 at Cooksland, Dunshaughlin, Co Meath

• 140km/h in a 120km/h zone on the M18 at Pollataggle, Gort, Co Galway

• 136km/h in a 120km/h zone on the M6 at Killavally, Tyrrellspass, Co Westmeath

• 135km/h in a 120km/h zone on the M1 at Lusk, Co Dublin

• 135km/h in a 120km/h Zone on the M1 at Balgatheran, Drogheda, Co Louth

• 134km/h in a 120km/h zone on the M2 at Raystown Ashbourne Co Meath

The total number of motorists detected speeding in the first 10 hours of the campaign was 453. Gardaí said they continue to appeal to drivers to comply with speed limits in order to reduce the number of speed related collisions, save lives and reduce injuries on our roads.

“We really have ask people to pay attention to their speeding,” said Sarah O’Connor, the RSA’s director of external affairs.

“[This is] about people taking a considerable risk,” said Assistant Garda Commissioner for Roads Policing Paula Hilman.

“We’ve detected someone driving at 135km/h in an 80km/h zone on the N4. If you’re going to be that reckless and take those risks we will be out on the roads and we will detect people.

“But overall we’re asking people [to] slow down. We all share the road space ... let’s all look out for one and other.”

Further updates from Gardaí will be given on Saturday.