Traffic Watch scheme to go nationwide

A pilot project encouraging motorists in the south-east to report dangerous driving is to be extended nationwide in the coming weeks.

The Traffic Watch scheme has been running in counties Waterford, Kilkenny, Tipperary, Wexford and Wicklow for the two years in a bid to reduce deaths on those regions' roads.

Gardaí say the scheme - which is run through a call centre in Thomastown Garda Station - has led to an increase in the number of prosecutions for drink-driving and dangerous driving.

Over 8,000 calls have been made to the lo-call number (1890-202805) since the scheme's inception, leading to 500 motorists being cautioned or fined.

Gardaí believe the project allows members of the public to help eliminate aggressive motoring and reduce the number of road fatalities.

A Garda spokesman told ireland.comthe project was already working on a nationwide basis in that motorists could ring in a report from anywhere in the State. But he said a date for the official launch was still to be decided but was likely to be in the coming weeks.

He said the expanded scheme will be run through five regional Traffic Watch centres in Birr, Mallow, Tuam, Carrick-on-Shannon and Harcourt Square in Dublin.