The Garda National Traffic Bureau gave a massive #ThumbsUp to the majority of motorists and the general public this weekend as the national ‘Operation Slow Down’ day which so far appears to have proved positive.
Pearse Street Traffic Unit (Pic @gardatraffic )
However, the Gardai are still concerned at the high number of dangerous drivers who were detected for speeding despite the national publicised campaign.
The 24 hour nationwide speed enforcement campaign ‘Operation Slow Down’ was initiated by An Garda Síochána in conjunction with GoSafe, and supported by the RSA, Local Authority Road Safety Officers and other stakeholders, including many of the country’s Fire, Ambulance and Voluntary Services personnel.
Social Media played a key role in promoting the campaign, and the hashtag ‘ThumbsUp’ was trending on Twitter throughout the campaign with many people, businessess, groups & bodies posting their photos to the @gardatraffic twitter page using #ThumbsUp
Overall, 115,003 vehicles were checked with 451 vehicles detected travelling in excess of the speed limit between 7am Friday 28th to 7am Saturday 29th August. These results showed a compliance rate of 99.6% within the monitored zones. A list of some of the notable seed detections are listed at the end.
The objective of operation ‘Slow Down’” is to reduce the number of speed related collisions, save lives and reduce injuries on our roads. The aim is to get drivers to slow down by reminding them of the dangers of speeding, increasing compliance with speed limits and acting as a deterrent to driving at excessive and inappropriate speed.
Students at the Garda College giving their #ThumbsUp
#ThumbsUp from Firefighters from Athy, Co. Kildare. Pic: (Kildare Road Safety)
Early on in the campaign, by 10.45am yesterday morning, the speed of approximately 18,000 vehicles were checked by both the Gardai and GoSafe. Of those 18,000 early results, 57 vehicles were detected travelling in excess of the speed limit. Within that period, one vehicle was detected travelling at 119 km/h in an 80 km/h in Co. Louth, another vehicle was detected travelling at 108km/h in a 60 km/h zone in Donegal while a vehicle in Co. Mayo was detected travelling at 124 km/h in a 100 km/h zone in Castlebar.
Garda Air Support Unit (Pic Garda Traffic Twitter)
Athy Ambulance crew with Kildare Road Safety’s ‘Slow Down’ bar
Speaking ahead of yesterday’s campaign, Garda Superintended Con O’ Donohue said “Excessive or inappropriate speed causes death and injury on our roads, and remains the primary contributory cause of road traffic collisions. Slowing down keeps you and others around you safe on our roads, and although this is a targeted 24 hour operation, we appeal to drivers to always abide by this advice – slow down, save lives.”
Garda Supt. Con O’ Donohue speaking ahead of the Operation
#ThumbsUp from Limerick City Fire Service
The Local Authority Road Safety Officers also supported the nationwide campaign locally, and Meath County Council’s Road Safety Officer Michael Finnegan said that drivers don’t realise the damage caused following a crash while speeding and he said the #ThumbsUp campaign was a novel way to get the message out. “Many drivers just don’t realise the damage caused to them and others following a crash while speeding. It’s horrendous and this national #ThumbsUp campaign for national ‘Slow Down’ day is a novel idea and its one that’s got people talking, tweeting and interacting, and all the time, the vast majority of drivers are slowing down”.
Meath County Council Road Safety Officer Michael Finnegan (Photo: Michael O’ Rourke)
Cork City Fire Brigade give their #ThumbsUp
An Garda Siochana has thanked those who supported the campaign by slowing down and driving within the designated speed limits. Speaking this morning, at the end of the ‘Operation Slow Down’, Assistant Commissioner John Twomey of the Dublin Metropolitan Regions Garda National Traffic Bureau said “An Garda Síochána wish to thank the many individuals and organisations who heeded the National Slow Down Day and supported the campaign by sending their photographs to An Garda Síochána at #thumbsup ”.
Emergency & Security Services at Trinity College, Dublin
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Notable incidents over the 24 hour period include:
* 141 km/h in a 100 km/h zone on the R238 Ture, Muff,Donegal
* 133 km/h in a 100 km/h zone on the R446 Curragh, Aughrim, Galway
* 86 km/h in a 50 km/h zone on the Ballybough Road, Dublin 3, Dublin
* 93 km/h in a 60 km/h zone on N25 Garranbaun, Dungarvan, Waterford
* 125 km/h in a 100 km/h zone on the N25 Parkeennaglogh, Kilmacthomas, Waterford
* 148 km/h in a 100 km/h zone on the N55 near the town of Glasson in Westmeath
* 144 km/h in a 100 km/h zone on the N6 Clonbrusk, Athlone, Westmeath
* 105 km/h in an 80 km/h zone on the R166 Drumleck, Castlebellingham, Louth
* 118 km/h in an 80 km/h zone on the R772 in Gorey
* 119 km/h in an 80 km/h zone on the R173 in Ballyonan in Co. Louth
* 108 km/h in a 60 km/h zone on the R267 Bundoran
* 124 km/h in a 100 km/h zone on the N5 Castlebar
