Gardai are targeting speeders as part of a 24-hour national "Slow Down Day

Gardai are targeting speeders as part of a 24-hour national "Slow Down Day" from 7am on Monday. Gardaí will be carrying out speed checks across the country today to encourage drivers to obey speed limits on National Slow Down Day. 

Gardaí say today's awareness initiative is of 'urgency and relevance' following a number of tragedies in recent weeks. Today has been designated as National Slow Down Day to coincide with the return to school, which sees a significant increase in the number of vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists.

Each driver has personal responsibility. Speed is reckless, not just within the speed limit, but to drive at a speed appropriate for the conditions, not just for motorists and their passengers, but for all road users, especially vulnerable pedestrians and cyclists. It not only speeds up enforcement findings. Gardai say it's about saving lives

Gardaí recorded incidents of people driving at speeds of up to 155km/h during the first hours of National Slow Down Day. In the first five hours, 127 vehicles were found to be speeding. The Garda Press Office announced this morning that 37,916 vehicles were speed checked in the first five hours of the awareness day. 127 vehicles including these were found to be speeding.

• 134km/h in a 100km/h Zone on the N11 at Newcastle, Co Wicklow
• 130km/h in a 100km/h Zone on the N21 at Castleisland, Co Kerry
• 155km/h in a 120km/h Zone on the M6 at Tyrrellspass, Co Westmeath
• 121km/h in an 80km/h zone on the N2 at Drumcaw, Co Monaghan
• 135km/h in a 120km/h Zone on the M1 at Lusk, Dublin

The press office said the Garda hold a number of slow down days each year, but recent tragedies gave today's initiative added "urgency and relevance". Gardai say obeying the speed limit will reduce the number of speed related collisions, save lives and reduce injuries on the roads.

There have been 127 deaths on Irish roads so far this year, 23 more than the same period in 2022 and 38 more than the same period in 2019. A third of the deaths this year are under the age of 25. About a quarter (29) were pedestrians. A fifth of this year's deaths occurred in August alone.

The World Health Organization has estimated that a 5% reduction in average speed would result in a 30% reduction in fatal collisions. A pedestrian or bicyclist involved in an accident with a vehicle traveling at 50 km/h has a 50% chance of survival. If you are hit by a vehicle traveling at 60 km/h, you have only a 10% chance of survival.