LAST UPDATE | 4 Sep 2023

GARDAI HAVE RECORDED speeding incidents of up to 155km/h in the first hours of National Slow Down Day.

Gardaí will be carrying out high-visibility enforcement of speed limits across the country today in an effort to encourage drivers to comply with the limits.

Today was chosen as National Slow Down Day to coincide with the return to school, which sees a considerable increase in the number of vulnerable road users such as young pedestrians and cyclists.

It also comes after several tragic deaths on the roads in a short period of time, including the deaths of a toddler and his grandparents and a brother and sister and their two friends.

The Garda Press Office said this morning that the speeds of 37,916 vehicles were checked in the first five hours of the awareness day. Some 127 vehicles were found to be speeding, including:

• 134km/h in a 100km/h Zone on the N11 at Newcastle, Co Wicklow
• 130km/h in a 100km/h Zone on the N21 at Castleisland, Co Kerry
• 155km/h in a 120km/h Zone on the M6 at Tyrrellspass, Co Westmeath
• 121km/h in an 80km/h zone on the N2 at Drumcaw, Co Monaghan
• 135km/h in a 120km/h Zone on the M1 at Lusk, Dublin

The press office said that An Garda Síochána conducts a number of Slow Down Days each year, but recent tragic crashes have given today’s initiative increased “urgency and relevance”.

Gardaí said that complying with speed limits would reduce the number of speed-related collisions, save lives and reduce injuries on the roads.

There have been 127 deaths on Irish roads so far this year, which is 23 more than the same period in 2022 and 38 more than the same period in 2019.

One third of deaths this year have been people under 25. Approximately a quarter (29) were pedestrians.

Deaths in August alone accounted for a fifth of this year’s fatalities.

The World Health Organisation has estimated that a 5% reduction in average speed could result in a 30% reduction in fatal collisions.

A pedestrian or cyclist involved in a crash with a vehicle travelling at 50 km/h has a 50% chance of living. If they are hit by a vehicle travelling at 60 km/h has only a 10% chance of living.

Assistant Commissioner for Roads Policing and Community Engagement Paula Hilman said: “The trauma on our roads so far in 2023 is and will have lasting impacts on families and communities.

“Every driver has a personal responsibility to not only drive within the posted speed limit but also to drive at a speed appropriate to the conditions.

“Speeding is reckless, not just to the motorists themselves and their passengers, but to all road users, especially vulnerable pedestrians and cyclists. This is not just about speeding enforcement detections. It’s about saving lives.”

Sam Waide, the CEO of the Road Safety Authority, said: “We have a speed epidemic in Ireland … In 2021, over three quarters (77%) of drivers observed on 50km/h roads were exceeding the speed limit.

“We must tackle the attitude that speeding is safe and acceptable. Speeding increases both the likelihood of a road traffic collision occurring, and the severity of injury sustained, should a collision occur.

“Speed has a huge impact on whether a vulnerable road user is killed or seriously injured when a collision occurs.”