A major Garda checkpoint operation is underway across Ireland this bank holiday Friday.
Thousands of officers are manning checkpoints on roads across the country following the St Patrick’s Day festivities.
There will be a particular focus on one area, with gardai giving the blunt warning - “do not drink and drive”.
READ MORE: Gardai hint at likely time of day for bank holiday checkpoints
Officers say they will be “doing checkpoints day and night throughout this festival period”, however among their main concerns is “the morning after”.
Stats show one in 10 alcohol-related crashes happen the morning after, with 10% of driving under the influence arrests happening between the hours of 7am and 12pm.
The major clampdown comes amid concern that there has been an 118% increase in road deaths in Ireland in 2022. 37 people have been killed on Irish roads to date, an increase of 20 on the same period last year.
Speaking at the launch of the bank holiday safety campaign, Assistant Commissioner Paula Hilman said: “While the majority of people act responsibly and don’t drink and drive, there are some who continue to take risks, for example, getting behind the wheel the morning after when they are still under the influence of alcohol.
“Garda detections indicate that one in every ten arrests for driving under the influence of an intoxicant happens the morning after.
“We will be doing checkpoints day and night throughout this festival period.”
She added that gardai will be “visible across the country” this bank holiday weekend.
“Gardai will be keeping people safe on our roads and will be visible across the country over this St Patrick’s Day and weekend. Our priority is to keep people safe and prevent death and injury on our roads.
“I would appeal to those of you who are socialising and consuming alcohol to leave your car at home or designate a driver and remember you may still be over the limit the morning after.
“We must change the current trends we are seeing in road fatalities in 2022. Too many families have already lost loved ones this year. An Garda Siochana are pleading with people to stop taking risks, make the right decisions and never ever drive while under the influence of alcohol.”
As Ireland moves out of the Covid pandemic and celebrates the extended St Patrick’s Day bank holiday, the Road Safety Authority have three tips to remember the morning after alcohol consumption:
- The only cure is time – after alcohol consumption, the only way to expel alcohol from your body is to wait.
- It takes roughly one hour for a unit of alcohol to leave the body – one unit of alcohol is a standard measure of spirit, wine, or a half glass of beer.
- Fatigue magnifies the impairment effect of alcohol – If you went to bed very late after consuming alcohol, you may not be fit to drive until lunchtime the next day.
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