FIGURES RELEASED BY An Garda Síochána show that 53 people were arrested on St Patrick’s Day on suspicion of drink driving, significantly more than on an average day.
A total of 149 people were arrested for drink driving over the course of the bank holiday weekend, with St Patrick’s Day alone accounting for almost 30 per cent.
A senior garda said that despite renewed efforts to ensure safe roads over the bank holiday weekends, the message did not sink in.
One person was killed and 7 people were seriously injured in road traffic accidents over the three days.
“We should never say or think ‘it won’t happen to me,’” said Assistant Garda Commissioner John Twomey. “The sad reality is that it does”.
Separately, 2,377 people were caught for speeding offences. Another 51 people were found to be not wearing a seat belt when stopped by at road checks around the country.
“While most people heeded the safety message that was sent out in advance, many did not,” said Twomey.
Twomey called on road users to be more careful, noting that one of the casualties over the weekend was a 5-year-old girl who died on Saturday afternoon after being hit by a van in Portlaoise.
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