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DURING THE SEASON of work parties and special festivities, some people take chances with drugs, alcohol and their cars.
Gardaí are joining their counterparts in Europe for a clampdown on the behaviour from this morning.
During the same operation this week last year, officers reported 15,305 alcohol and 2,133 drug offences, as well as more than 2,500 other crimes. That was after checking 1.1 million motorists in 31 countries.
In Ireland alone, over 800 drink-drive arrests were made during the Christmas period. That equated to 22 arrests a day.
“Driving after consuming any alcohol is dangerous,” warned TISPOL (the European Traffic Police Network) President Garda Chief Superintendent Aidan Reid.
“Driving while over the drink drive limit is against the law. Drivers will experience slower reactions, poor judgement of speed, reduced co-ordination and concentration with much lower levels of alcohol in their system.
That’s why our message this year is simple: your ability to drive safely is impaired by even a small amount of alcohol. So if you have had a drink, do not drive. If you need to drive, then do not drink.
Gardaí said from this morning, drivers should expect “highly visible and widespread enforcement of alcohol and drug laws during the operation, at any location and at any time of day or night”.
The morning after
They also warned party-goers about travelling the next morning.
“Your body takes time to remove alcohol from your system. If it is still present in your body, then it will be identified during a breath test. That’s why a night’s sleep is no guarantee that you’re safe and legal to drive the next morning,” explained Reid.
“If you have used recreational drugs, then do not drive. If you are taking medicine, whether prescribed or purchased over the counter, then read the notes of advice that go with it. If these tell you not to drive after taking the medicine, then do not drive. The advice is there for a reason, to keep you and others safe.”
Road deaths
So far this year, 180 people have been killed on Irish roads. That figure is ahead of the corresponding toll for last year.
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Anyone who gets caught can have no complaints….
We all know the law about drink/drug driving.
That’s it in a nutshell Tom. Easy to obey tbh.
Just don’t take the risk people..It just ain’t worth it!!!
When you are out driving at night this time of year take note how many drivers forget to turn on their headlights due to having a few drinks on them.
Take note? Why? I’ve taken note that I saw 0 people driving tonight without their headlights on due to alcohol.
Del
I’m happy to hear that … It limits the chances of accidents on the road !!
When your out and about this evening take note of people driving around writing on notepads taking note of other people with their full beams on.
It’s dangerous to note and drive.
Hehe!
There are no excuses for drinking and driving.
If you drink and drive you’re a f@#cking idiot, but if you make it home you’re a f@#cking legend.
Eh, no. No that’s incorrect. Have another wee go there
Not entirely , this is usually the mind-set of people who do it. I am all against by the way.
Well that was an overreaction for absolutely nothing.
Obviously they carry out checks all year, but you must know that.
They ramp up the inspections now because people are coming and going from christmas parties, so drink driving has increased. Hence the increased checks, but you must know that.
Anything for a moan eh.
Why only over Christmas , drinking and driving under the influence of drugs goes on all year around.
Because Christmas is when it happens most. Duh.
So neal , going by your immense knowledge its ok to drink/drive if there is less of it going on… Really !!!!.
I expected a half arsed comment when I seen your pseudonym but this takes the biscuit , perhaps you would like to visit some next of kin to victims of drink driving. Or how about a close friend of mine that lost both legs due to a drunk driver knocking him off his bike on a summer evening.
Duh !!!!!!!!!!!!!!.
The Gardai should be sorting their own house right now.Disgusting whats going on right now and whats conning out in the media.
So they should stop trying to tackle drink driving until they’ve all perfect?
I’ve perfect
Funny thinking back my mate got arrested for drunk driving. But he wasn’t driving a car. He was using a electric wheelchair. It’s funny now but not at the time.
have your say