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GARDAÍ AND THE Road Safety Authority (RSA) have issued a warning to drivers across the country ahead of the bank holiday weekend, urging them to avoid driving under the influence.
The appeal to drivers comes less than two weeks after the Easter bank holiday weekend, when three people died on Irish roads and 12 more were seriously injured across 11 accidents.
During the same period, 149 people were arrested for drink and drug driving.
Gardaí have said that they will step up roadside enforcement this weekend, with a significant number of drink and drug testing checkpoints and unmarked garda vehicles to be rolled out over the coming days.
Speaking ahead of the operation, Garda Chief Superintendent Jane Humphries told reporters that over 810 people have been arrested so far this year on the roadside for driving under the influence of drugs.
Approximately half of those arrested are under the age of 30, she said.
“I cannot emphasise enough the danger that you’re putting yourself in and the danger you’re putting other road users in,” Humphries said.
“The risk you’re taking is not worth it. You do not want to be responsible for injuring yourself, perhaps killing another person because you took that chance of driving while it’s not the influence of drugs.”
The appeal coincides with the launch of an RSA campaign on the issue of drug driving in Ireland, which they say aims to “correct public misconceptions” and raise awareness, especially among young people, about the risks of drug-driving.
A number of TV, radio and social media advertisements will be rolled out by the RSA in the coming days to raise awareness of the dangers of drug driving.
An RSA warned that even small quantities of drugs could impair a person’s ability to drive safely, and driving under the influence could lead to someone losing their job, restrict their ability to travel internationally and affect their personal relationships.
Sarah O’Connor, Director of Partnerships and External Affairs at the RSA, said that there are “very real consequences” to driving under the influence.
“Your motor skills are impaired, you do not have appropriate reaction time.You do not have appropriate coordination, and your perception is altered,” O’Connor explained.
“None of those make for a good driver or a safe driver, but those are the risks you take if you get behind the wheel and you’re under the influence.”
Last year, the Medical Bureau of Road Safety received 4,348 samples for drug analysis, a 12% increase on the year before.
In almost three-quarters (73%) of the positive drug results, the drivers were under 44 years of age and most were men. Cannabis and cocaine were the top two drugs found.
While gardaí were supplied with 20,000 roadside drug-testing devices in 2023, this has more than doubled to 45,000 this year.
Assistant garda commissioner for roads policing Paula Hilman said gardaí were encountering more people failing roadside drug tests.
“Our enforcement data shows that Gardaí are encountering an increased number of people failing roadside drug tests,” Hilman said.
“Half of those detected driving under the influence of drugs since January 2024, were aged under 30.”
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