FOURTEEN DRIVERS WERE arrested for drink driving on Christmas day, while two people died on Irish roads over the past week.

Gardaí have renewed their appeal to drivers to be responsible after an increase of drink driving arrests this month.

There has been a 34% increase in the number of drink driving arrests since 1 December – 738 compared to 549 for the same period last year.

The provisional figures are from when the Christmas and New Year anti drink driving campaign was launched.

Assistant Commissioner Michael Finn said, “It is disappointing following the many appeals and media focus in this area, that so many divers continue to take such a risk.

Tragically, there have been two fatalities over the past seven days, a motorcyclist on Christmas Day and a driver on St Stephen’s Day.

CEO of the Road Safety Authority Moyagh Murdock added, ”Any amount of alcohol impairs your driving, this is not an opinion, it’s a scientific fact. So if you are socialising to ring in the new year remove temptation altogether and leave the car and keys at home and plan how you are going to get home.

Be aware too that you may not be safe to drive the morning after a night out, as you may still have alcohol in your system. Our appeal is to passengers too, don’t take a lift from anyone who has been drinking and don’t put your life in their hands.

Gardaí added that drink driving will continue to be targeted on a 24/7 basis, including the morning after.

Read: Pregnant woman airlifted to hospital after Cork crash>

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