Drunk driving is a major social problem. And, in spite of efforts at education by the road safety authorities and the Garda Síochána, some motorists still have not got the message. Even if they do not kill themselves or destroy the lives of innocent bystanders by driving while intoxicated, they can ruin their own employment prospects if they are put off the road.
Recent figures have shown that motorists have responded positively to safety campaigns concerning seat belts and speeding. But no change has occurred in the incidence of drunk driving. The director of the National Safety Council, Mr Pat Costello, said that while 91 per cent of those arrested on suspicion of drunk driving were over the limit, an astonishing 51 per cent had consumed twice the legal limit of alcohol.
As we enter another bank holiday weekend, with all the relaxed enjoyment that it promises, the Garda are determined to crack down on this dangerously unsociable behaviour. Available resources will be focused on detecting those motorists who believe they can drink and then drive in an intoxicated state. That is right and proper. Such behaviour has always been reprehensible, but the greatly increased availability of either taxis or hackney cars in every town and village has removed the excuse by drunken motorists that no other transport is available.
The Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell, has signalled his determination to crack down on excessive speeding. He and the Minister for Transport, Mr Brennan, intend to introduce a speed camera system operated entirely by civilian personnel in the future. Other "peripheral activities" may be withdrawn from the Garda as the Coalition Government moves towards the establishment of a dedicated Traffic Corps.
Hundreds of thousands of people will be on the move this weekend. Cross-channel ferries are expected to carry 95,000 passengers. Accommodation on trains is under such pressure that Iarnród Eireann has introduced a ticket reservation system to cope with fans travelling to the Guinness Jazz Festival in Cork. Bus Éireann expects to carry 100,000 passengers countrywide. And the roads out of Dublin have already become congested with the usual bank holiday traffic.
For many people, this will be the last opportunity to leave the cities and enjoy the countryside before the winter season becomes established. The forecast is for bright, fresh weather with some scattered showers. People should take the opportunity to get out of doors this weekend. Walks on our coastal and upland areas will help to reduce stress levels for busy commuters. But the underlying message must be one of road safety: do not drink and drive - and slow down and arrive alive.