Bank holiday roads blitz to cut fatalities
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IT is ironic the government U-turn on reducing the drink-driving limit should be signalled in the run-up to a bank holiday weekend that is traditionally the most dangerous on the nation's roads.
As the Government was indicating that the tougher measures planned by Transport Minister Noel Dempsey were being put on hold, the gardai were flagging a campaign of strict enforcement over the four-day holiday period.
The shelving of the Dempsey plan, however temporary, is a setback to the road traffic authorities in a year in which the trend is decidedly downward.
Provisional fatal collision statistics up to yesterday morning showed there were 189 people killed on the roads so far this year. This compares with a total of 281 for all of last year, 338 for 2007 and a frightening toll of 411 deaths in 2001.
The death toll up to yesterday compares with 235 fatalities in the corresponding period last year, while the number of collisions has also fallen sharply since the start of the year to 176, down from 214 on October 21, 2008.
Gardai are in no doubt that the introduction of mandatory roadside breath testing in July 2006 is directly linked to a change in motorists' attitude.
An average of about 900 checkpoints are being manned on the roads every week. And the assistant garda commissioner in charge of traffic, Eddie Rock, last night warned checkpoints would increase this weekend.
He added: "Our job is to enforce whatever legislation is in place and help to stop road carnage."
- Tom Brady Security Editor
Irish Independent
