Motorist in Offaly caught speeding on National Slowdown Day

At least one motorist in Offaly was caught speeding during National Slowdown Day.

An Garda Síochána, in partnership with the Road Safety Authority (RSA) and other stakeholders, conducted the national speed enforcement operation on Monday.

Gardai said a motorist was recorded driving at 75kph in a 60kph zone on the Daingean Road in Tullamore.

Gardai said the aim of the initiative was to promote safer driving and reduce speed-related collisions nationwide, coinciding with the first full week of schools reopening across the country.

They said that before 7pm on Monday, gardai, along with GoSafe Mobile and Static Safety Cameras, had 569 vehicles travelling in excess of the applicable speed limit.

They said the Tullamore breach of the limit was one example of the “high speeds” detected.

Others were - 134kph in a 100kph zone on the N11 at Newtownmountkennedy in Co Wicklow; 123kph in a 100kph zone on the N60 at Facefield, Co Mayo; 116kph in a 80kph zone on the R265 at St Johnston, Co Donegal; 91kph in a 80kph zone on the N55 at Glasson, Co Westmeath; 78kph in a 60kph zone on the L3700 at Riverstown, Co Sligo; 91kph in a 50kph zone on the R339 in Monivea Road in Galway and 83kph in a 50kph zone on the R188 in Drumbear, in Co Monaghan.

Meanwhile, figures released by a member of the European Parliament (MEP) revealed that €677,680 was collected in fines in Offaly by Garda speed vans in the 30-month period between January 2023 and June 8 this year.

This puts Offaly in the middle of the three Midland counties with by far the most collected in Westmeath, €1,742,000 and the least in Laois, €435,440.

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Gardaí released figures to Ireland South MEP Cynthia Ní Mhurchú showing that a total of €32,437,002 was collected in fines over those 30 months across all counties.

Dublin was the highest, €6,227,840, and Tipperary was second on €3,322,880.

According to Ms Ní Mhurchú, speeding caused the deaths of 52 Irish people in 2024.

“A European Commission report from 2020 estimated that 10 to 15% of all crashes and 30% of all fatal crashes are the direct result of speeding or inappropriate speed. 174 people died on Irish roads in 2024, which means that 52 of those people died as a direct result of speeding (30%). There are 52 families across the country mourning loved ones because we have failed to tackle speeding in any meaningful way,” said the MEP.

Ms Ní Mhurchú welcomed an extra €9 million in funding for up to 100 new speed cameras to enhance road safety at the end of 2024 but said that continual investment in new technology is needed to catch those who are flouting the law.

She also called for smarter positioning of the current stock of speed vans to ensure they are located in areas of highest risk of road fatalities, and for “consideration” of re-education courses as a judicial sanction for drivers who are repeatedly caught speeding.