Mayo driver caught speeding at 149km/h over Bank Holiday weekend

A driver in Ballina was among a large group who were detected speeding during an extensive St Brigid’s Day Bank Holiday Weekend policing operation by An Garda Síochána. The driver was caught speeding at 149km/h in a 100km zone at Ballynahaglish, Ballina on the N26. The Garda policing operation was in place between 7am on Thursday, February 1 to 7am on Tuesday, February 6.

In an extensive statement released this afternoon, the Garda Press Office said there were two fatalities on our roads during this period and 11 serious collisions took place that resulted in 12 people receiving serious and life-threatening injuries.

Over this Bank Holiday period, An Garda Síochána carried out over 898 Mandatory Intoxicant Testing (MIT) checkpoints. Over 4,780 roadside drug and alcohol tests were conducted which led to 161 arrests for driving under the influence of an intoxicant. Over 15 percent of these arrests occurred between the hours of 6am and 2pm.

Throughout the weekend, almost 3,000 drivers were detected for speeding offences.

Notable top speeds detected in each speed zone include:

• 99km/hr in a 50km/hr zone on Cork Street, Dublin 8
• 143km/hr in a 60km/hr zone on the R700 in Knockavilla, New Ross, Co Wexford
• 148km/hr in an 80km/hr zone on the R339 in Glenrevagh, Oranmore, Co Galway
• 153km/hr in a 100km/hr zone on the N61 in Carrownalassan, Co Roscommon.
• 228km/hr in a 120km/hr zone on the M1 in Balgatheran, Drogheda, Co Louth

Other detections in Mayo were:

• 99km/hr in a 80km/hr zone on the N60 at Manulla
• 96km/hr in a 80km/hr zone on the R309 at Drummindoo, Westport

Fixed Charge Offences for other road offences during this period included:

• Using Mobile Phones – more than 110
• Unaccompanied learner drivers – 215
• No Seatbelts – 61

In addition:

• In excess of 100 vehicles were seized from learner permit holders driving unaccompanied
• Over 420 vehicles seized for having no tax or insurance

Chief Superintendent, Jane Humphries of the Garda National Roads Policing Bureau said: "Gardaí working nationwide over the Bank Holiday Weekend received good support from the public and we really hope that this continues as it helps us to keep road users safe.

"Enforcing road traffic laws is core element of road safety and so too is our work to raise awareness among all ages. We all have a personal responsibility to prevent road fatalities and serious injury road traffic collisions, and we must work together.”

An Garda Síochána continue 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.