IRISH motorists are being warned that some current speed limits are being reduced on a number of roads – in a bid to lower the risk of accidents and fatalities.
Speed limits on some rural roads are being reduced by 25 per cent.
Drivers who don’t slow could be hit with fines and penalty points from Friday, February 7.
They will be slapped with three penalty points and a fixed charge fine of €160.
The changes for rural local roads will mean that current 80km/h limits will be dropped to 60km/h.
Motorists will soon spot the new speed limit signs that will have replaced existing ones.
A sign with a white circle and three diagonal black lines will mean that your speed must change from 80km/h to 60km/h.
Drivers in urban areas, which include built up parts as well as housing estates and town centres, will also see speed limit changes later this year.
In these urban core spots, speed limits will be reduced to 30km/h.
And the speed limit on national secondary roads will also drop from 100km/h to 80km/h.
Irish government officials said the changes are a part of the Road Safety Strategy 2021-2030 to achieve zero road deaths or serious injuries by 2050.
They said: “Introducing more consistent and appropriate speed limits will help to improve road safety in Ireland.
“These changes are being made under the Road Traffic Act 2024.
“The Act follows a number of key recommendations from the Speed Limit Review, which was undertaken by the Department in 2023.”
Government said there was a “strong downwards trend” in the number of fatalities on our roads between 2006 and 2021.
The number of road deaths fell from 365 fatalities in 2006 to 132 in 2021, which was our safest year on record.
Fianna Fail politician Jennifer Murnane O’Connor took to social media to warn motorists.
She said: “Drivers need to prepare for changes to speed limits on our roads!
“Default speed limits on rural local roads will decrease from 80km/h to 60km/h. and these limits will come into effect on Friday the 7th of February 2025!
“New speed limit signs will replace existing ones to reflect this change.
“The meaning of the Rural Speed Limit sign (a white circle with three diagonal black lines) will change from 80km/h to 60km/h as well.
“Later in 2025, the speed limit in urban cores, which include built up areas as well as housing estates and town centres, will reduce to 30km/h.
“The speed limit on national secondary roads will also reduce from 100km/h to 80km/h.”
Drivers caught speeding will get three penalty points and a €160 fixed charge fine[/caption]
