OVER THE EASTER Bank Holiday weekend, more than 2,800 motorists were detected speeding.

Between 7am on Thursday 17 April until 7am on Tuesday, 22 April, gardaí undertook an “extensive roads policing operation”.

Among the notable speeding offences detected was a driver clocked at 179km/h in a 60km/h zone on R194 Granard, Co. Longford.

Elsewhere, a motorist was detected speeding at 165km/h in a 100 Km/h on N18 Ballinacurra (Weston), Co.  Limerick.

On the R157 in Dunboyne, Co. Meath, a motorist was clocked at 139km/h in a 80km/h zone, while on the R394 Milltown Castlepollard, Co. Westmeath, a driver was detected travelling at 125 km/h in a 50 Km/h.

A motorist was also clocked at 110km/h in a 50 Km/h on the Naas Road Dublin 12, Co. Dublin.

Over the Bank Holiday period, gardaí also carried out over 910 Mandatory Intoxicant Testing checkpoints.

Over 4,500 breath tests and 213 oral fluid tests were performed, which led to 149 arrests for driving under the influence of an intoxicant.

Other Fixed Charge Offences for road offences during this period included 225 which were issued for using mobile phones while driving, and over 160 for unaccompanied learner drivers.

Meanwhile, 73 drivers were hit with fixed charge notices for wearing no seatbelts.

In addition to this, 109 vehicles were seized from learner permit holders driving unaccompanied, while 438 vehicles were seized for having no tax or insurance.

There were three fatalities on Irish roads during this period and 11 serious collisions which resulted in 12 people receiving serious and life-threatening injuries.

Gardaí have appealed to all road users to never drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs, to slow down, to always choose a speed appropriate to the driving conditions, to wear your seatbelt and always keep your eyes on the road.