Gardai have arrested at least eight motorists while carrying out checkpoints over the double bank holiday weekend.
The arrests happened at different checkpoints across Dublin after drivers failed roadside tests for drugs or alcohol following the St Patrick's Day celebrations.
They tested almost 500 motorists and arrested eight people, four for drink driving and four for driving after taking drugs - including cocaine.
Gardai Traffic wrote on Twitter: “So far this Bank Holiday Weekend, Roads Policing Units throughout the Dublin Region have conducted 17 mandatory intoxicant testing checkpoints & tested almost 500 motorists.
“8 people have been arrested for failing roadside tests, 4 for alcohol & 4 for drugs.”
This comes as statistics 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.”
