THREE PEOPLE LOST their lives in the first 48 hours of a roads policing operation being conducted by An Garda Síochána throughout the bank holiday weekend. 

The three fatalities bring the total number of Irish roads this year to 14. 

Two men aged in their 20s were killed in a single-vehicle road crash in Carlow in the early hours of yesterday morning, with two other passengers brought to hospital for serious injuries. 

The operation began at 7:00am on Thursday and will continue until 7:00am on Tuesday. 

Within the same 48 hours, over 580 drivers were detected speeding, despite gardaí saying that there is a reduced number of motorists on the roads currently as communities continue to deal with the fallout of Storm Éowyn. 

Speeds detected include 106 km/h in a 50 km/h zone in Holycross, Tipperary, and 139 km/h in a 100 km/h zone in Cullen Beg, Mullingar. 

Throughout the weekend’s operation, gardaí are conducting Mandatory Intoxicant Testing and regular checkpoints across the country. A total of 63 people so far have been arrested for driving under the influence of either alcohol or drugs.

Gardaí have urged the public to drive with care over the weekend and to never drive under the influence.

The risk of a fatal or serious injury in a road traffic collision is at its highest between midday and 3pm on each of the four days of the bank holiday weekend, a spokesperson said.