In the lead-up to this year’s August bank holiday weekend, An Garda Síochána launched a road safety crackdown amid a rise in road deaths. They advertised and widely promoted the fact that they were set to carry out extensive road policing operations over the weekend, from Thursday to Tuesday.

So, unless you happened to be in a coma for the last few weeks, you would have had to be aware that this exercise was taking place. Even if you didn’t see or hear any of the warnings, you would know that the gardaí tend to be more active on the roads during bank holidays anyway.

There is a bigger chance you will be stopped at a checkpoint during these times. It has always been like this, and there was no reason to believe the August weekend was going to be any different.

The message was delivered loudly and clearly: they were going to prioritise safety by observe if drivers were obeying speed limits, not driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, consistently wearing seatbelts, and avoiding distractions while driving.

Last year recorded the highest number of road deaths in a decade. As of July 28, 2026, 185 people have died on Irish roads, 13 more than during the same period last year. Some 4,600 motorists have been arrested for driving offences during the first half of the year, and more than 18,000 vehicles have also been seized.

During the first six months of the year, gardaí issued more........

© Evening Echo