24-hour national slow down day in Ireland: Gardaí

Gardaí are running a 24-hour national slow down day from 7am on Thursday to 7am on Friday. With the support of the Road Safety Authority (RSA) and other partners, the Garda hold high quality National Slow Down Days in Ireland every year. The purpose of National Slow Down Day is to remind motorists of the dangers of speeding, to adhere to all existing speed limits nationwide, and to deter those who intend to drive at excessive or inappropriate speeds.

As summer draws to a close, seasonal weather changes bring Ireland to shorter, darker evenings. Driving conditions will become more challenging. With the return of schools across the country there will be extra traffic on the roads, particularly vulnerable road users, pedestrians, cyclists and school buses dropping off and picking up school children.

It should be remembered that no matter how good the road and weather conditions are, any increase in speed can significantly increase the risk of being involved in a serious or fatal road traffic collision.

Speeding while driving is one of the most dangerous driving practices in existence. The higher the speed > the more intense the impact > the more fatal the consequences. Inappropriate speed (for prevailing weather/traffic/road conditions) is a problem, as is exceeding the speed limit.

Gardai have asked road users to continue their support to maintain the downward trend in the number of fatal collisions compared to last year. 148 people have died on the roads so far this year, and 164 in the same period in 2023. 

One in 10 pedestrians die when they are hit by a car traveling at a speed of 30 km/h. This number rises to five out of 10 pedestrians when a car is traveling at 50 km/h, and nine out of 10 pedestrians are killed by a car traveling at 60 km/h.

Speeding not only endangers you but also endangers the lives of others around you. Every time you speed, the risk of losing control of your vehicle increases, which can lead to a serious or fatal accident. The consequences of speeding can be devastating not only to you but to other innocent people on the road. Up to the end of June 2024 over 70,000 fixed charge notices have been issued to over 375 drivers each day.