Sam Matthews, 27 Apr
An Garda Síochána and the Road Safety Authority (RSA) are urging all
road users to take care this May Bank Holiday Weekend as provisional
road collision figures show that here has been an 8% increase in road
deaths to date in 2023.
The appeal comes as RSA collision data shows that the May Bank Holiday
is a high risk period for collisions with a total of 7 people killed
and 83 people seriously injured over the weekend in the last five
years. Last year’s bank holiday was a tragic weekend for road safety
with four fatalities and 27 people seriously injured.
Enforcement statistics released by An Garda Síochána for last year’s
May Bank Holiday show that they detected:
2,820 speeding incidents,
154 motorists driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, 13% of
these were recorded between the hours of 6am and 2pm across the
weekend.
91 drivers not wearing a seatbelt, and
212 drivers using a mobile phone.
An Garda Síochána will have an increased presence on the roads across
the country, over the high-risk bank holiday, targeting the four
lifesaver offences and dangerous driving activity.
Chief Superintendent Jane Humphries, Garda National Roads Policing
Bureau said as the May Bank Holiday weekend approaches, motorists are
urged to prioritise safety on the roads.
"The Gardaí will have a high visibility presence this weekend and a
focus on the four lifesaver offences; speeding, mobile phone use while
driving, seatbelt compliance and intoxicated driving. It's up to each
and every one of us to do our part to keep ourselves and others safe,"
she said.
“We focus on these offences as research tells us that they are the
biggest causes of fatal and serious injuries on the road. You can do
your part this weekend by driving within the speed limit and according
to the road and traffic conditions, putting on your seatbelt and
ensuring all passengers do likewise before commencing your journey.
“When behind the wheel, ignore your phone it’s not worth the
distraction and finally never, ever drive under the influence of
alcohol or drugs and remember that you may still be over the limit the
following morning. By following these simple guidelines, we can all do
our part to prevent accidents and keep our roads safe.
“Let's make this May Bank Holiday weekend a safe and enjoyable one for
all.”
Sarah O’Connor, Director of Partnership and External Affairs, Road
Safety Authority said: “I want to appeal to all road users to slow down
and take extra care. The roads will be a much busier with people
travelling on short breaks - many will be travelling to and from
sporting and local events too, so the advice is to slow down and expect
the unexpected on your journey. I would also specifically appeal to
drivers to watch out for people cycling, walking, horse riding and
riding motorbikes. By doing so, we can ensure that the weekend remains
free of trauma for families. This is not an impossible thing to achieve
as there were no fatalities over the recent St. Patrick’s bank holiday
weekend – together we can do this again this weekend.
To help drivers stay alert behind the wheel over the Bank Holiday
Weekend, the RSA and Applegreen will provide free cups of coffee to
drivers between 2pm and 8pm on Friday, April 28 and Monday, May 1 at
participating service stations. Simply say ‘RSA’ or ‘Driver Reviver’ to
the till operator to avail of a free coffee. A list of participating
stations is available at www.applegreenstores.com/ie/ locations
To date in 2023, a total of 56 people have died on Irish roads, an
increase of four compared to the same date in 2022.