Gardaí issue Mayo road safety appeal and will be 'out in force'
Checkpoints: Gda Insp David Tiernan says there will be a strong Garda presence and visibility this weekend Pic Stephen Collins/Collins Photos
Motorists and road users in Mayo have been told there will be a very visible Garda presence in the county over the upcoming Bank Holiday weekend.
An Garda Síochána and the Road Safety Authority (RSA) have renewed their pleas for motorists to be vigilant, exercise more caution and allow more time for journeys during the busier period.
Gda Inspector David Tiernan, Head of Road Policing In Mayo, said there will be a large number of checkpoints and roadside drink and drug testing will be carried out by officers.
"Our big thing is to be out in terms of enforcement doing the lifesaver offences and our members will be out in force," he said. "Every Bank Holiday weekend we have operational plans in place and we will be focusing on our lifesaver offences such as speed, use of mobile phones, no seatbelts and drink and drug driving."
A total of 12 people died in road traffic collisions in Mayo in 2023, an increase of seven from the previous year.
Insp Tiernan stressed "speed is one of the primary causes of road deaths" and there will be a strong emphasis on targeting drivers who break the speed limits.
He said roadside drug testing arrests increased last year as new equipment and devices were rolled out and there will also be a focus on mandatory roadside testing.
Nationally, a total of 184 people died in road traffic collisions in Ireland during 2023, an increase of 19% on the 155 deaths recorded in road traffic collisions in 2022.
There were 44 pedestrians killed last year, an increase of 12 on the previous year, the biggest increase of any road user type.
Earlier this week a Donegal County Councillor Michael McClafferty sought a new rule for it to become mandatory for pedestrians to wear high visibility vests.
He called on the council to write to the relevant authorities calling for change and Insp Tiernan said there is merit in it being considered and explored.
"I would recommend it is looked at from a Government level as it is about reducing the risk to everyone," he added.
