Major increase in speeding detections welcomed by Limerick garda chief

While the number of detections for drink driving offences has fallen this year, the head of the Limerick garda division says there are still too many people getting behind the wheel while under the influence of alcohol.

As of Monday, 269 motorists had been arrested since the beginning of the year on suspicion of drink-driving while a further 29 were arrested on suspicion of drug-driving.

The figures were confirmed at a public meeting of the Limerick Joint Policing Committee at County Hall, Dooradoyle on Monday night.

Chief Superintendent Gerard Roche, who took over the role in January, told the meeting a major increase in roads policing activities in 2018 has had a deterrent effect – leading to a 16% year-on-year decrease in detections for drink or drug driving.

In addition to extra patrols, more than 4,800 MIT checkpoints have been conducted across the Limerick division since January representing a 9% increase on the same period last year. 

Other road traffic offences are also being targeted such as the non-wearing of seatbelts, the use of mobile phones by drivers and speeding.

The number of motorists caught speeding in Limerick has increased by 83% since January while the number of people not wearing seat-belts has increased by 7%.

Chief Supt Roche says the number of detections for speeding offences so far this year is the second highest of any garda division in the country and is marginally lower than Galway.

According to an analysis of garda figures, there were 4,107 detections as of this Monday.

This figures does not include detections made by GoSafe vans as they are operated by a private company on behalf of the RSA.

While there have been eight fatalities on Limerick roads so far in 2018 (up from seven last year), the number of ‘material damage’ and ‘non-serious’ road collisions has reduced slightly.