Garda Gareth O'Brien of the Garda traffic unit, with Margaret Murray from Mullingar, during the An Garda Síochána public relations exercise at The Market Square on Wednesday.

Make sure you cop the cops!

Westmeath's gardaí are going to be watching out big time for traffic offenders this weekend - in a bid to head off any possible tragedies over the bank holiday.

"There were 25 road deaths in June 2012," Sergeant John Connolly said this week, as gardaí invited members of the public to view around their mobile communications and control unit, parked at Mullingar's Market Square on Wednesday.

"Operation Focus is running right through June, across the country," said Sgt Connolly.

"It's intended to focus people's awareness of certain things such as mobile phne use, and certainly, drink driving, and speeding.

"This Friday, we have Operation Slow Down - aimed at getting people to slow down.

"There will be a high degree of activity all weekend, but particularly on Friday."

Sgt Connolly said that a third of the deaths on Irish roads are of people aged between 16 and 30.