Gardai concerned at rise in drink driving detections

Gardaí have this evening expressed concern at figures showing a rise in drink driving and speeding detections.

The number of people arrested on suspicion of drink driving over Christmas and the New Year has increased from last year, according to statistics released by the Garda.

Gardaí arrested 1,556 people for the offence during the six week period from November 23rd to January 4th. This represents an increase of 55 based on the same period last year, when 1,499 were arrested.

Speeding detections surged 7,575 from 18,339 during the Garda's 2002/2003 Christmas road safety campaign, to 25,914 this year.

However, for failure to wear seatbelts, 3,755 people were apprehended by the Garda, compared to 6,772 last year. Not wearing a seatbelt became an offence under the penalty points system late last year.

The penalty points system is due to be substantially widened later this year with a total of 64 road traffic offences to incur points. Offences to come under the penalty points scheme include the use of hand held mobile phones while driving, dangerous overtaking and careless driving.

The number of people killed on Irish roads last year was the lowest in 40 years, according to figures released by the Department of Transport.

According to the figures there were 341 road deaths in Ireland, 35 fewer than in 2002, and 117 fewer than in 1998. The figure is the lowest since 1964, when 341 people also lost their lives.