Motorist caught doing 183kph on Laois motorway

A €250 fine was handed to a novice driver who was caught driving at 183kph on the motorway in Laois. 

Dawid Waszkowski, 21, of MacUilliam Lawn, Fortunestown, Dublin 24 was detected travelling at speed at Ballacolla on the M8 on May 14. 

State Solicitor Donal Dunne said the defendant was driving a black Mercedes. He said he was a novice driver and he had three family members in the car at the time. Mr Dunne said the motorway was busy, the weather on the day was good, the man was co-operative with gardai and he has no previous convictions. 

Solicitor Aonghus McCarthy said his client had recently purchased the car. He said he had a clear road ahead and “he was careless to allow it to get up to that speed.”  He pointed out that “no evasive action had to be taken or anything of that sort Judge.” 

Judge Patricia Cronin noted the State had no objection to reducing the charge from dangerous driving to careless driving. She noted the speed was at the higher end and “it is one and a half times the speed limit.” 

However,  she said it was very much borderline in terms of dangerous or careless driving and she accepted the careless driving charge. 

Mr McCarthy said his client “is not a person who has ever before had any interaction with gardai”. He said he was a student going to study sports coaching. He said the man earned about €176 a week. 

Judge Cronin fined the man €250 and allowed him four months to pay.