A DRIVER TRAVELLING at 166km/h in Limerick was among over 1,200 drivers detected speeding during Slow Down Day yesterday.

The driver was caught speeding on the on the N21 (which has a 100km/h speed limit) in Adare, Co. Limerick.

A total of 1,286 drivers were caught speeding during yesterday’s National Slow Down Day. Of these, 600 were intercepted by gardaí.

The figure is disappointing, gardaí said, as the total number is an increase on recent 24-hour operations.

Gardaí, in partnership with the Road Safety Authority (RSA) and other stakeholders, conducted ‘Slow Down Day’, a national speed enforcement operation day which ran for the entire day yesterday.

In a statement today, gardaí said that the high numbers are evidence some motorists are continuing to ignore speed limits, despite widespread coverage of the importance of safety on Irish roads.

other notable high speeds detected included a vehicle on the M7 in Nenagh, Co Tipperary, which was clocked at 153km/h in 120km/h Zone on the M7.

Elsewhere, a vehicle was clocked at 95km/h in a 50km/h zone on the R680 Cork Road, Co Waterford.

On the N18 in Bunratty, Co Clare, one motorist was detected travelling at 129km/h in a 100km/h zone.

Gardaí have stressed that the faster a car is moving during a collision, the more likely it is to result in death or serious injuries: “Statistically, one in ten pedestrians hit by car travelling at 30km/h will die of their injuries.

“Five in ten of those out walking and struck by a car travelling 50km/h will be killed, and a car being driven at 60km/h and hits a pedestrian as a nine in ten chance of the collision being fatal.”

This year, more than 32,880 Fixed Charge Notices have been issued to motorists for speeding, which amounts to more than 335 people per day.