MORE THAN 900 new speed camera zones have just come into operation.
The 903 new zones around the country came into operation at 6am today.
The 419 existing zones will continue to operate bringing the overall total to 1,322 zones. The zones will be operated by GoSafe, the company that manages existing roadside safety cameras.
In a statement, An Garda Síochána said the extra zones are being introduced “to take a proactive approach in the prevention of fatalities and life-changing injuries”.
The new zones, which can be viewed here, include areas where fatal and serious collisions have previously occurred.
In the first three months of 2019, 85% of fatalities on Irish roads occurred outside GoSafe zones.
Location of new zones
In order to decide the new zones, collision data from the Garda Pulse system was analysed.
The data analysis included the type of collision (fatal, serious and minor) and the coordinates of where each collision took place from January 2016 to December 2018.
Each type of collision was assigned a weighted value.
As a result of this analysis, the following potential zones were identified:
Speaking about the new zones, Superintendent Tony Lonergan of the Garda National Roads Policing Bureau said: “There is no doubt these safety cameras save lives.
“Saving lives and preventing injuries is one of our top priorities and we urge every driver to become familiar with the full list of speed enforcement zones.
“We appeal to all drivers to drive safely, complying with posted speed limit signs not just for the GoSafe zones but for the duration of their journey. Reducing your speed will save lives and make the road safer for all.”
Since 2011 speed cameras have prevented 71 deaths on Ireland’s roads, according to An Garda Síochána.
A total of 148 people died on Irish roads in 2019 – compared to 142 in 2018 – a 4% rise. 2018 was the safest recorded year on Irish roads.
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