DUBLIN, IRELAND – Senior Gardaí have warned that “people are not listening” to safety messages as road fatalities for 2025 climb to 184, a 10% increase compared to 167 deaths during the same period in 2024.
The “Worrying” Statistics
At a recent policing event, Superintendent Stephen McCauley highlighted a disturbing trend in intoxicated driving:
- Weekly Arrests: 170 people were arrested for driving under the influence in the last seven days alone.
- Drug vs. Alcohol: Of those arrests, 56% were for alcohol, while 46% involved drugs (including prescription medication)—a nearly 50:50 split that Gardaí described as a “very worrying trend.”
- Fatalities: Six people died on the roads in the past week, including three deaths within a single 12-hour window in Limerick, Monaghan, and Tipperary.
Enforcement and Speeding
Gardaí have conducted over 2,000 checkpoints in a week to curb the trend. However, speeding remains rampant:
- Top Speeds Detected: One driver was clocked at 192 km/h in a 100 km/h zone in Waterford, and another at 122 km/h in a 60 km/h zone in Limerick.
- Fines: Over 5,400 speeding fines have been issued since the Christmas campaign began on December 1.
