A massive garda road safety campaign is under way today as hundreds of thousands of people set out for the Easter bank holiday.
Around a thousand officers were expected to mount checkpoints over the weekend in an attempt to crack down on traffic offences - particularly drink-driving and speeding.
Almost 250,000 passengers expected to pass through Dublin Airport over the Easter weekend were advised to allow extra time for check-in and security regulations.
Iarnród Éireann said it believed 300,000 people would use its services in the hectic rush. The Minister for Transport, Mr Martin Cullen also urged motorists to take care on the roads over the weekend.
The Department of Transport said new research from the National Roads Authority revealed that 86% of all road fatalities and injuries in 2003 were caused by bad driver behaviour.
AA Roadwatch warned travellers to leave extra time for journeys as traffic would be extremely heavy on most routes around the capital from the early afternoon.
It advised that the worst-hit routes would include the N1 through Dundalk, the N2 through Ashbourne, the N4 at Enfield and Mullingar and the N6 at Kinnegad and Moate.
Heavy traffic is also expected on the N7 near Johnstown and Kill.
The garda campaign began at midnight and will run until midnight on Monday in a bid to reduce last year's Easter road deaths.
Five people lost their lives and 67 people were left injured after road crashes over last year's Easter bank holiday weekend.
Gardaí said that officers would be operating checkpoints across the country while concentrating on accident blackspots.