Record on policing roads is defended by Garda

The Garda has defended its traffic-policing record amid indications that road fatalities are set to increase for a second successive year.

In a statement yesterday, the Garda cited an increase of 46 per cent in the number of arrests it made for drink driving over the October bank holiday. The total number of such arrests this year stood at 9,050 at the end of October, an increase of 15 per cent on the same period last year.

Road fatalities have also increased, however, and the bank holiday weekend saw four people die on the roads in 18 hours.

The death toll stood at 328 yesterday - an increase of seven over the same period in 2004.

This year's toll is already close to exceeding the annual 2003 total of 335, which was achieved after the announcement of the penalty points system.

Supt Kevin Donohoe of the Garda Press Office said there was "probably never going to be enough" resources in the Garda but the number of gardaí dedicated to traffic duties was increasing.

"There has been a lot of criticism by commentators, or alleged experts, saying that we have our heads in the sand or that we are out at the wrong time. But if you look at the pattern of arrests it fairly matches the pattern of fatal collisions."

The Garda figures show that most arrests for drink driving took place between midnight and 6am. Some 28 per cent of fatal collisions this year occurred between these hours.

A total of 320 people were arrested for drink driving over the October bank holiday weekend compared to 219 in the same weekend in 2004. Gardaí said based on trends it was likely that over 60 per cent of those arrested would have twice the legal level of alcohol consumed.

In a statement the Garda said it would "continue to mount a stringent and targeted approach to driving while intoxicated".

However, it was "concerned that the compliance culture is not changing sufficiently quickly. We are working with the National Safety Council with a view to increasing public awareness generally."

Supt Donohoe stressed that responsibility for tackling road fatalities did not rest with the Garda alone. "Gardaí are not killing anyone on the streets. At the end of the day it's the people who get behind the wheel of their car who are killing each other."

In its statement the Garda said anyone who consumed alcohol should take a taxi or some form of public transport home from the pub, designate a non-drinking driver, or make prior safe-transport arrangements "so that the temptation to drive is removed".

"The theme of encouraging a voluntary and better compliance culture runs through all Garda Síochána strategies," the statement added.