GARDAI caught a total of 800 drivers speeding during yesterday’s 24-hour Slow Down Day operation.
The highest speed detected during the operation was a driver caught doing 164kmh in a 120kmh zone.
The number of speed checkpoints dramatically increased while the operation was in place, which ran for 24-hour from 00:00 to 23:59 yesterday.
The Slow Down Day operation was supported by the Road Safety Authority (RSA) and other key stakeholders.
Over the course of the operation, Gardai along with GoSafe Mobile and Static Safety Cameras has detected a total of 800 vehicles travelling in excess of the applicable speed limits.
However, no fatalities were reported as a result of road traffic collisions.
Notable high speeds detected included a motorist travelling at 148kmh in a 100kmh zone on the N3, Lisgrea, Virginia, Co Cavan.
Another driver travelling on the N52, Durrow Demesne, Tullamore, Co Offaly was caught speeding at 134kmh in a 100kmh zone.
In Wicklow, a motorist was caught speeding at 131kmh in a 100kmh zone on the on the N11, Timmore, Newcastle.
In Co Kildare, a driver was caught travelling at 93kmh in an 80kmh zone on the R148, Ballynadrumny, Broadford.
And another driver was detected speeding at 90kmh in an 80kmh zone on the R188, Drumnagran, Cootehill, Co Cavan.
Other high speeds recorded by officers included:
- 75km/h in a 60km/h Zone on Monaghan Road, Castleblayney, Co Monaghan.
- 73km/h in a 60km/h Zone on the R293, Toobrackan, Ballaghadereen, Co Roscommon.
- 69km/h in a 50km/h Zone on Clare Street, Limerick, Co Limerick
- 69km/h in a 50km/h Zone on Cusack Road, Ennis, Co Clare.
A Garda spokesperson said: “Speeding remains one of the leading causes of road traffic collisions.
“It is a significant contributor to the amount of collisions that result in fatal and serious injuries each year.
“Yesterday’s National #Slowdown Day was the first speed enforcement operation since the introduction, on Friday 7th February 2025, of a new default 60km/h speed limit on many rural local roads, replacing the previous default 80km/h limit.”
They continued: “An Garda Siochana conducts a number of high profile National #SlowDown Days every year.
“The aim of National #SlowDown Days is to remind motorists of the dangers of speeding, encourage a national conversation on the impact of speeding, to increase overall compliance with speed limits in place nationwide and to deter and detect those that are intent on driving at excessive or inappropriate speed.”
