Nearly 500 cars seized as gardaí arrest 167 for drink and drug driving and catch 3,000 speeding over bank holiday weekend
The figures were released after an extensive Garda Roads Policing Operation was put in place from 7am on Thursday, until 7am this morning.
During this period, there was one fatality on the roads, while 14 serious collisions resulted in 14 individuals sustaining severe and life-threatening injuries.
Over the course of the operation, gardaí conducted more than 830 Mandatory Intoxicant Testing (MIT) checkpoints.
More than 4,000 breath tests and approximately 270 oral fluid tests were carried out, leading to 167 arrests for suspected driving under the influence of an intoxicant.
Additionally, almost 3,000 drivers were detected breaking speed limits throughout the weekend including one clocked at 99km/h in a 50km/h zone on R212 at Clones, Co Monaghan.
Another was caught doing 114km/h in a 60km/h zone on R147 at Dunboyne, Co Meath, while another was speeding at 119km/h in a 80km/h zone on R148 at Broadford, Co Kildare.
In Dublin, one driver was speeding at 188km/h in a 100km/h zone on M50 at Templeogue.
More than 210 Fixed Charge Notices (FCNs) were issued for other using mobile phones, while 215 were handed out to unaccompanied learner drivers and more than 70 to those not wearing a seatbelt.
In addition, 99 vehicles were seized from learner permit holders driving unaccompanied and another 380 for having no tax or insurance.
'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 keep your eyes always on the road,' a Garda spokesperson said.
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