More speed cameras in Westmeath, as gardaí attempt to reduce number of accidents

An Garda Síochána – Additional Mobile Safety Camera Deployment, Autumn 2023

• 4,265 additional Mobile Safety Camera Monitoring Hours until end of 2023

Tragically on our roads between 1 January 2023 and 8 September 2023:

• 119 fatal road traffic collisions

• 129 fatalities

• 65% of all fatal collisions to date in 2023 involved a single vehicle.

• Approximately 30% of fatal collisions are as a direct result of speeding or inappropriate speed.

• Approximately 75% of all fatal collisions in 2023 have been in 80kmh and 100kmh zones.

Road deaths and serious injury collisions are not evenly distributed geographically.

In response to the increase in road traffic fatalities, An Garda Síochána will focus the increased deployment of mobile safety cameras on a risk basis and in the seven Garda Divisions where there is a higher risk of fatal road traffic collisions occurring.

The following divisions collectively account for 67% [86] of all road deaths in 2023:

Clare/Tipperary (19)

Mayo/Roscommon/Longford (16)

Meath/Westmeath (12)

Galway (12)

Kildare/Laois/Offaly (10)

Cavan/Monaghan (9)

Cork North (6) and Cork West (2)

The increased deployment follows the announcement earlier this week by the Minister for Justice Helen McEntee, TD and Garda Commissioner Drew Harris that an additional €1.2 million is to be allocated towards increasing the presence of mobile safety cameras.

An Garda Síochána say the primary purpose of the additional deployment will be to reduce speed-related collisions, reduce injuries and save lives.

The purpose of deployment of mobile safety cameras in high-visibility vehicles is to change road user behaviour and reduce the likelihood of fatal and serious injury road traffic collisions occurring on our roads, particularly on stretches of roads where there is a history of collisions.

Assistant Commissioner Paula Hilman, Roads Policing and Community Engagement, said: “Mobile road safety cameras are deployed within identified stretches of road with a known traffic collision history or the prevalence of vulnerable road users.

“The cameras are designed to change driver behaviour in these high-risk stretches of road. The additional hours are being targeted within the areas where the highest proportion of fatal road collisions are taking place. Mobile safety cameras will, however, continue to operate as normal also throughout the rest of the country.”

“An Garda Síochána continue to deploy Roads Policing members on the road network across the country. Last Monday, on National Slow Down Day, more than 865 drivers were detected driving in excess of the speed limit. Each individual driver has a responsibility to slow down and not just drive within the speed limit but to the appropriate speed for the road, weather, traffic and vehicle conditions.

“An Garda Síochána will continue to prioritise our response to the very alarming trend in increase in fatalities on our roads.”

For a full list of safety camera locations across the country visit www.garda.ie.