A new survey reveals that about a quarter of motorists think it’s fine to drive short distances post-drinking, with 10% disclosing having driven under alcohol influence within the past year. Ahead of the Bank Holiday weekend for St Patrick’s Day, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) and the gardaí urged road users to be extra cautious, especially given the heightened incidence of road deaths recorded this year.
Preliminary figures from the RSA indicate a death toll of 42 on Irish highways up to the 14th of March, marking an increase of three from the same time frame in the previous year. In the RSA’s Driver Attitudes & Behaviour Survey 2023, nearly 25% of drivers confessed to potential instances of driving over the alcohol limit the morning after a night of drinking.
In 2023, data from An Garda Síochána displayed the arrest of one driver per hour on suspicion of driving under substance influence, either alcohol or drugs. Over the previous year’s St Patrick’s weekend, authorities apprehended 196 drivers on charges of inebriated driving, of which 136 were assumed to have alcohol in their system while the rest were suspected of drug consumption.
Inebriated driving linked to drugs made up over 35% of all detections the past year, with cannabis and cocaine predominantly identified. In the first two months of 2023 alone, authorities arrested over 1,300 drivers under the suspicion of substance-intoxicated driving.
Transport Department’s Minister of State, Jack Chambers, expressed sincere worry over the substantial number of people admitting to potentially over-the-limit driving following a night of drinking. RSA’s Director of Partnerships and External Affairs, Sarah O’Connor, noted that fatal accidents are more probable during the weekend and late at night or early morning.
Assistant Garda Commissioner Paula Hilman stressed the personal liability everyone holds while on the road. She highlighted the severe outcomes linked to irresponsible driving behaviour, ranging from licence suspension and hefty financial sanctions to the far graver risk of causing serious harm or death to others on the road. Hilman ended her statement by encouraging everybody to be vigilant and responsible road users during St Patrick’s weekend.
In a separate statement, Angela Willis, the Deputy Commissioner of Garda, reassured that an all-inclusive law enforcement operation will be deployed throughout Dublin during the upcoming bank holiday weekend. “Our Garda officers will be exerting every effort to guarantee a safe and enjoyable experience for the numerous individuals who’ll be participating in the national parade and other assorted family-oriented activities across the city,” Willis confirmed.
She urged spectators of the city’s festivities to aid in maintaining safety and ensuring the smooth progression of the day’s activities. This includes using public transportation, complying with the directives of Garda officers and stewards, and refraining from consuming alcohol in public.