Gardaí are conducting a special traffic operation today, a nationwide Slow Down Day, after an alarming rise in road deaths lately.
The 24h traffic operation got underway at 7am this morning, and will continue until 7am on Tuesday.
To date there have been 127 people killed on Irish roads this year, 23 more than the same period 2022, and 38 more than in 2019.
One in Five of all road deaths so far this year occurred in the month of August, and one in three of all victims were under the age of 25.
An Garda Síochána carries out a number of high profile ‘Slow Down’ days each year, in support of daily speed enforcement operations.
The aim of aim of “Slow Down day” is 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.
Operation ‘Slow Down’ on Monday the 4th September 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, it has taken on greater urgency with the alarming increase in road deaths seen in recent months.
Assistant Commissioner Paula Hilman, Roads Policing and Community Engagement said, “The trauma on our roads so far in 2023 is and will have lasting impacts on families and communities.”
“An Garda Síochána continues to carry out speed enforcement across our roads. Every driver has a personal responsibility to not only drive within the posted speed limit but also to drive at a speed appropriate to the conditions.”
“Speeding is reckless, not just to the motorists themselves and their passengers, but to all road users, especially vulnerable pedestrians and cyclists. This is not just about speeding enforcement detections. It’s about saving lives”.
Operation ‘Slow Down’ will consist of high visibility speed enforcement by GoSafe at selected Safety Camera Zones and at other locations by An Garda Síochána.
Details of the 1373 Safety Camera Zones across the country and the background to Safety Camera Zones can be found here.
The World Health Organisation (2017) estimated that a 5% reduction in average speed could result in a 30% reduction in fatal collisions, and therefore reducing every motorists’ speed is essential to improving safety on our roads.
An Garda Síochána and Go-Safe have detected over 105,000 drivers, as of the end of August 2023, driving in excess of the posted speed limit.
Sam Waide, CEO of the Road Safety Authority, said, “We have a speed epidemic in Ireland. The RSA regularly commission observational studies, where the actual real-life behaviours of drivers at the roadside are logged.”
“In 2021, over three quarters (77%) of drivers observed on 50km/h roads were exceeding the speed limit. In addition, 29% (almost one in three) of drivers observed on 100km/h roads exceeding the speed limit on these higher speed roads.”
“This must change. We must tackle the attitude that speeding is safe and acceptable. Speeding increases both the likelihood of a road traffic collision occurring, and the severity of injury sustained, should a collision occur.”
“We simply have to ask every single driver to play their part in saving lives, routinely slowing down for every single trip, every single day. National Slow Down Day is the day for us all to start.”
