Driver caught doing 166km/h through Ballina

A DRIVER was detected driving at 166km/h through Ballina over the recent Bank Holiday weekend, gardaí have confirmed. 

The incident, which occurred in a 100km/h zone in at the N26 Ballynahaglish, was one of 2,841 detections which were made as part of an extensive roads policing operation between August 3-9 last week. 

Other notable detections included:

• 130km/h in a 50km/h zone on the R463 Corbally Road, Limerick
• 128km/h in a 60km/h zone on the Stillorgan Road, Blackrock, Dublin
• 147km/h in a 80km/h zone on the R178 Redbog, Carrickmacross, Louth
• 203km/h in a 120km/h zone on the M8 Ballinaglanna North, Kilworth, Cork

There were three fatalities on our roads during this period and eight serious collisions took place that resulted in eight serious and life-threatening injuries.

However, there was a 58 per cent reduction in serious injury road traffic collisions in comparison to the same weekend in 2022.

This also represents a 66 per cent reduction in serious injury collisions against the previous five August Bank Holiday Weekends.

To date this year, 104 people have died on Irish roads, ten of whom were in Mayo.

Over the Bank Holiday period, An Garda Síochána carried out 900 Mandatory Intoxicant Testing (MIT) checkpoints and 4,006 roadside drug and alcohol tests. This led to 196 arrests for driving under the influence of an intoxicant.

Throughout the weekend, Garda Roads Policing Units were out detecting those speeding and issued over 1,143 on the spot Fixed Charge Penalty Notices for speeding offences.

Of the 837,171 vehicles checked for speeding by Go-Safe nationwide, 2,841 drivers were detected for speeding.

Assistant Commissioner Hilman, Roads Policing and Community Engagement Garda National Roads Policing Bureau said, "As our enforcement data demonstrates, the August Bank Holiday Weekend was especially busy on Irish roads.

"Gardaí were out across the country helping to keeping all road users safe by enforcing road traffic laws through checkpoints, road side testing for intoxicants and checking for speed and other life saver offences.

"We had a huge amount of positive support from motorists and we want to acknowledge this because this helps us and our partners to avoid a higher number of fatal and serious injury road traffic collisions.

"All those who suffer the loss of a loved one on our roads are in our thoughts. We continue to do all we can to raise awareness among all road users that we must work together to keep our roads safe.”

An Garda Síochána continues to appeal to all road users to never drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs, to slow down and to always choose a speed that is appropriate to the driving conditions, to wear your seatbelt and never use a mobile phone while driving