Gardaí have detected more than 125 vehicles traveling above speed limits during the second National Slow Down Day of the year, including one motorist clocked at a dangerous 153km/h on the M7 in Tipperary.
The national speed enforcement operation, conducted by An Garda Síochána in partnership with the Road Safety Authority (RSA), aims to reduce speeding as more pedestrians and cyclists take to the roads during the warmer, longer days.
According to The Journal, among the notable high speeds recorded were a vehicle traveling at 144km/h in a 100km/h zone on the N11 in Newcastle, County Wicklow, another at 110km/h in an 80km/h zone on the R445 in Portlaoise, and a driver detected at 141km/h in a 100km/h zone on the N67 in County Galway.
Gardaí emphasized the relationship between speed and collision severity, noting that “one in ten pedestrians hit by a car traveling at 30km/h will die of their injuries.” This fatality rate increases dramatically with speed—rising to five in ten pedestrians at 50km/h and nine in ten at 60km/h.
So far this year, more than 32,880 Fixed Charge Notices have been issued for speeding offenses across Ireland, averaging over 335 citations daily.
Chief Superintendent Jane Humphries of the Garda National Roads Policing Bureau explained that the 24-hour initiative aims to change driving behavior through conversation: “We are asking that you chat to family, friends, colleagues, even neighbors – please remind them to slow down, drive safely and without distraction.”
The campaign encourages all road users to have discussions about speed and driving safety to ensure everyone arrives home safely.