Laois driver caught speeding during National Slow Down Day operation

Gardaí have revealed that a Laois driver was among those caught speeding during National Slow Down Day, a road safety initiative that aims to promote safer driving.

On Wednesday, November 6, An Garda Síochána announced the project, which takes place over a 24-hour period, that sees the authorities' increase speed checks nationally. 

The gardaí conduct a number of National Slow Down Days each year with the aim of reminding drivers about the dangers of speeding, to increase the overall compliance with speed limits in place nationwide, and to deter those that are intent on driving at excessive or inappropriate speed.

The operation began at 7am on Thursday, November 7, and concluded at the same time the following day, capturing a total of 689 drivers travelling in excess of the applicable speed limit throughout the country. Over 60% of the drivers caught speeding were intercepted by Gardaí.

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One of the most dangerous speeds recorded was in Laois, where they came across a vehicle travelling at 112km/h in a 80km/h zone, close to Drumagh, Crettyard. 

Jane Humphries, Chief Superintendent in the Garda National Roads Policing Bureau, said, "Across all our speed detection systems in place around the county, we are beginning to see some positive indications that drivers are becoming more mindful of the critical need to slow down. That said, the number of those who were detected during this National Slow Down Day do show that there are some people still intent on driving at dangerously excessive and inappropriate speed,

"These are the people that Gardaí are most focused on detecting in order to prevent fatal and serious road traffic collisions. They endanger themselves but they will also potentially kill you or I while driving at high speed,

She continued, "Research strongly demonstrates that choosing to drive 10Km/h over the speed limit, thinking that it will get you to your destination in quicker time, is a fallacy. If anything it can only save seconds from your journey so it really is not worth quite possibly loosing your life over.”