Gardai have confirmed plans to introduce safety camera zones and speed vans on more than 60 new routes in Ireland - as part of a major clampdown on speeding.
It'll bring the total number of zones across the country to 1,373, with the new routes coming into operation from 6am on Tuesday, July 26. The new zones are spread across 23 counties, 49% on Regional Routes, 31% National Routes and 20% on other routes (Motorway, Local Roads etc.).
It comes amid a grim announcement that there have already been 89 deaths on Irish roads so far in 2022. That's an increase in 28 over 2021 and 13 to date in 2019.
Safety cameras operate in areas where there is a history of speed related collisions known as speed enforcement zones.
New locations were selected following an analysis of collated Garda data acquired from fatal, serious and minor road traffic collisions and from further consideration given to locations of concern highlighted by local communities through local Garda Community engagement.
Superintendent Thomas Murphy, Garda National Roads Policing Bureau said: "When someone decides to speed they put themselves and members of their community at risk, particularly children, older people, cyclists and other motorists.
"Our priority is to ensure that the vast majority of people who use the roads responsibly are not put in danger by a minority of reckless drivers who continue to drive at excessive speed.
"GoSafe vans operate in areas that have a speed-related collision history where fatal, serious injury and minor injury collisions occur.
"In addition, locations which have been highlighted by members of the community as being areas of concern, have been included in the new zones. By identifying and targeting these high-risk areas, the aim is to reduce the number of fatal and serious injury collisions."
The cameras are operated using a fleet of marked vehicles.
More than 2.2m fixed charge notices for speeding offences have been issued in the same time.
READ NEXT:
- Woman to appear in court charged with murder of man in his Wicklow home
- Ireland weather: Met Eireann confirm date for the return of summer weather as high pressure builds
- Michael Schumacher's family blasted for 'lies' over F1 legend's condition after skiing accident
- The morning symptoms which mean you should 'assume you have Covid'
- Vladimir Putin puppet says Russia should 'nuke' UK but has prediction for Ireland
Get breaking news to your inbox by signing up to our newsletter