— Low detection rate questioned by Galway TD.
Gardai have released a final update for National Slow Down Day which includes a motorist caught traveling at 79km/h at Mount Brown in Dublin 8
The 24-hour National Slow Down Day — which is one of a number during the year — lasted from 07:00 on Monday to 07:00 this morning. The latest Garda press release outlined how 865 drivers were detected speeding, by both Garda members and GoSafe Safety Cameras.
The detection rate was not provided today but it was yesterday when the Gardai tweeted just before 6.45pm that 250 motorists were detected speeding out of 103,607 vehicles checked at that stage of the enforcement blitz — this represents a detection rate of 0.24%.
The detection percentage compared to the number of motorists who passed speed enforcement equipment decreased to 0.21% when there was a further update after 9.30pm last night.
Ciaran Cannon, a Fine Gael TD for Galway, said: “Please don’t believe for a moment that only 0.25% of drivers are speeding. That’s patent nonsense and it seriously undermines your credibility as enforcers of our road safety legislation. These are the results of a national speed survey carried out by the Road Safety Authority in 2021. This is what we’re up against in trying to save lives on our roads.”
The latest Road Safety Authority ‘free speed’ survey checks found that 78% of drivers were breaking the 50km/h limit when unconstrained by road geometry, weather conditions, or traffic congestion. These speeding checks are not high-visibility and not part of enforcement action.
Today, a Garda spokesperson said: “Each of these 865 drivers will now receive a €160 Fixed Charge Notice in the post and have 3 penalty points applied to their driving licences.”
Examples of motorists speeding in the last 24 hours:
50km/h zones
79km/h in a 50km/h Zone on the R810 Mount Brown Dublin 8 Dublin
73km/h in a 50km/h Zone on the Church Street Ballinasloe Galway
72km/h in a 50km/h Zone on the Clones Road Butler’s Bridge Cavan
60km/h zones
99km/h in a 60km/h Zone on the R267 Magheracar Bundoran Donegal
77km/h in a 60km/h Zone on the R267 Portnason Ballyshannon Donegal
80km/h zones
121km/h in a 80km/h Zone on the N2 Drumcaw Monaghan Monaghan
108km/h in a 80km/h Zone on the R513 Herbertstown Herbertstown Limerick
100km/h zones
161km/h in a 100km/h Zone on the N53 Philipstown Dundalk Louth
134km/h in a 100km/h Zone on the N11 Timmore Newcastle Wicklow
130km/h in a 100km/h Zone on the N21 Dooneen Castleisland Kerry
129km/h in a 100km/h Zone on the N4 Clongawny Mullingar Westmeath
128km/h in a 100km/h Zone on the N60 Holywell Upper Ballyhaunis Mayo
119km/h in a 100km/h Zone on the N2 Mooretown Slane Meath
115km/h in a 100km/h Zone on the N25 Begerin (Loftus) New Ross Wexford
120km/h zones
163km/h in a 120km/h Zone on the M9 Moanmore Muine Bheag Carlow
155km/h in a 120km/h Zone on the M6 Killavally Tyrrellspass Westmeath
146km/h in a 120km/h Zone on the M6 Glen Athlone Westmeath
142km/h in a 120km/h Zone on the M7 Meelick Portlaoise Laois
141km/h in a 120km/h Zone on the M6 An Carn Mór Thiar Órán Mór Gaillimh
141km/h in a 120km/h Zone on the M9 Ballygeardra Knocktopher Kilkenny
The Garda spokesperson said: “The aim of “Slow Down day” was to remind drivers of the dangers of speeding, to increase compliance with speed limits and act as a deterrent to driving at excessive or inappropriate speed.
“This ‘Slow Down’ operation was picked to coincide with the full return of all schools and the related increase in roads users, particularly vulnerable road users, pedestrians, pedal cyclists and specifically younger road users. However with the alarming increase in the number of Road Fatalities on Irish Roads this year, and in recent months, Operation ‘Slow Down’ has taken on increased urgency and relevance,” the spokesperson said.
They added: “An Garda Síochána continues to appeal to drivers to comply with speed limits in order to reduce the number of speed-related collisions, save lives and reduce injuries on our roads.”
Whilst the figure seems low that is the fact on roads they surveyed. What is needed is these go slow days to include 30kmph zones in residential areas as well as 50kmph local areas then we will have a more truer accurate figure as on main roads people slow down on go slow days but not in residential unchecked areas
That and perhaps not having 2 gardai in day-glo outfits standing in plain sight beside a white garda car that can be seen 500m away…