A new unit has been set up by the Garda in Longford to tackle motoring offences and to cut deaths and injuries on the roads.
The special traffic unit, consisting of four garda∅ assigned full-time to enforcing traffic regulations, will target speeding and dangerous driving of all types.
Supt Joe Sullivan said the unit would complement the existing Longford-Westmeath traffic unit.
The garda∅ are new to the unit and are an extra resource for the area.
"This is an initiative to deal with the perennial problem of carnage on the roads." It would attempt to reduce the number of fatal accidents as well as the number of personal injuries.
Accidents where someone was seriously injured often went unreported in the media, according to Supt Sullivan, although such injuries could be hugely devastating for the victims and their families.
He said speed was still the primary cause of accidents. There have been three deaths on Longford roads so far this year, Supt Sullivan said. "All of those who died were, ironically, pedestrians."
In the Longford-Westmeath area there have been eight road deaths and four were pedestrians.
While three road deaths might not seem enormous, compared to the record in other counties, Supt Sullivan pointed out that Longford has a very small population.
In fact, Longford is second only to Louth in the number of accidents per 1,000 registered vehicles. There were 7.1 accidents per 1,000 registered vehicles in Louth last year, compared to 6.1 in Longford.
Last year Longford also saw a significant increase in road deaths compared to 1999.
There were nine road accident deaths in 2000, compared to three the previous year and five in 1998.