OVER THE BANK holiday weekend, gardaí stopped 105 motorists for suspected drink driving as well as 55 suspected drug driving offences.

In addition, gardaí detected 2,624 instances of excessive speed over the weekend with one motorist clocked at over 200 km/h. 

Four people died on the country’s roads over the weekend with 10 people suffering serious injuries. There were no fatalities on the same weekend last year. 

“We are deeply saddened by the tragedy seen on our roads at the weekend. I want to take this opportunity to send our condolences to all of those affected,” Assistant Commissioner Paula Hilman said. 

An Garda Síochána views any road death as one too many and we will continue to work together with our partners in road safety to reduce road deaths.

The senior garda added that some of the practices by motorists that was observed by gardaí is unacceptable: “The level of endangerment we encountered over the weekend is not acceptable. Despite our best efforts to proactively engage and educate drivers, too many are still taking chances and putting people’s lives at risk.”

Gardaí from divisions across the country detected drivers under the influence of alcohol or one or more illegal drugs. 

In Monaghan, gardaí observed a car performing “donuts” at Tyholland with the driver arrested after a short pursuit. 

In Ballyshannon, Co Donegal gardaí arrested a motorist at a checkpoint who tested positive for cocaine and cannabis. 

At the N81 dual carriageway in Tallaght in Dublin, seven arrests were made for intoxicated driving offences, four who tested positive for alcohol and three for illegal drugs.

A number of vehicles were detected travelling at very high speed, with one motorist in Clare travelling at 197 km/h and a motorist on the M1 motorway in Louth driving at 203 km/h.