THE GARDAÍ HAVE launched a new road safety initiative aimed at reducing the number of road deaths by targeting high-risk areas around the country. So far this year, 22 people have been killed on Irish roads.

Gardaí will concentrate on high-risk locations around the country for 24-hour periods at a time.

The focus will switch from garda region to garda region throughout this year in a bid to focus road users’ attention on ongoing garda enforcement of speeding, driving under the influence of drink or drugs, dangerous driving behaviour, the non-use of seatbelts, and the illegal use of mobile phones while driving.

The operation kicked off today in the Dublin region, and will extend through all other regions throughout 2012.

Speaking at today’s launch, Assistant Garda Commissioner John O’ Mahoney said that “while the continued downward trend in fatalities is to be welcomed, we appeal to road users to continue to ‘focus’ on road safety in order that we can continue the reduction in deaths and serious injury and spare families the pain and grief associated with such sudden loss of a loved one.”

“Enforcement continues to be a high priority for An Garda Síochána,” he added. “The objective [of this scheme] is to remind people that it doesn’t pay to take chances on our roads. As a community, we all have a duty to ensure that no family should lose a loved one on our roads as a result of reckless behaviour.”

The Road Safety Authority welcomed the garda initiative. RSA CEO Noel Brett said he felt “confident that it will lead to the prosecution of people who still refuse to acknowledge the dangers associated with inappropriate speed, driving under the influence and other breaches of the Road Traffic Act that can cost lives”.