Gardai in the Waterford/Kilkenny division say motorists are not taking sufficient note of Operation Lifesaver and they have promised a tough crackdown on motoring offences. Operation Lifesaver, a nationwide campaign aimed at reducing deaths and injuries on the roads, was launched in the Waterford/Kilkenny division six weeks ago under the direction of Chief Supt Sean O'Halloran, Insp Aidan Roche and Sgt Pat Murphy.
According to Chief Supt O'Halloran, last year there were 20 deaths on the roads in the Waterford/Kilkenny division; there have been 11 so far this year. Drink-driving figures had risen by 50 per cent in the first eight months of this year, he added, and in the same period 6,000 tickets had been issued for speeding.
In the six weeks since the launch of Operation Lifesaver in the region, there have been 43 drink-driving arrests; 20 dangerous driving prosecutions; 200 prosecutions for serious speeding offences; 340 prosecutions for failing to wear seat belts, and 1,200 on-the-spot speeding fines.
"People don't seem to be taking notice of our appeals to the extent we had hoped," Chief Supt O'Halloran said. "It appears there is a strong percentage of people who won't change their ways until they are forced to change."
In another attempt to get the no-nonsense message through to drivers, gardai have warned there will be no let-up in enforcing the laws. "People may think we are being hard, but we are trying to save lives and prevent injuries," Chief Supt O'Halloran insisted.
The "get tough" order has been issued to every garda in the region.
"All we want to do is make the road safer for everyone," Chief Supt O'Halloran said. "We want to reduce the number of fatalities on the roads. Even in an age when the level of traffic is rising, I believe this can be done if everyone adopts a more responsible attitude to driving."
Dick Grogan is on holidays