Driver doing 161kph in a 80km zone one of thousands caught speeding over Bank Holiday weekend

Throughout the August Bank Holiday Weekend an extensive Garda Roads Policing Operation was in place between 7am on Thursday, August 1,and 7am this morning, Wednesday, August 7.

There were three fatalities on Irish roads during this period and 11 serious collisions took place that resulted in 12 people receiving serious and life-threatening injuries.

"Over this Bank Holiday period, An Garda Síochána carried out over 1,017 Mandatory Intoxicant Testing (MIT) checkpoints," a statement released this Wednesday evening by gardaí said.

4,918 roadside drug and alcohol tests were conducted which led to over 180 arrests for driving under the influence of an intoxicant.

Throughout the weekend, almost 3,886 drivers were detected for speeding offences.

Notable top speeds detected in each speed zone include:

- 88kp/h in a 50kp/h zone on the Malahide Road in Donnycarney, Dublin 3

- 105km/h in a 50km/h zone along the Salthill Promenade in Co. Galway

- 161km/h in an 80km/h zone on the R188 at Cootehill, Co. Cavan

- 145km/h in a 100km/h zone on the N15 near Ballyshannon, Co. Donegal

- 107km/h in a 60km/h zone on the N4, Carrick-On-Shannon, Co. Roscommon

- 164kp/h in a 100kp/h zone on the N3 near Cavan

- 81kp/h in a 50kp/h zone on the R394 at Finnea, Co. Westmeath

- 186km/h in a 100km/h zone on the N24 close to Piltown, Co. Kilkenny.

Fixed Charge Offences issued for other road offences during this period included 294 notices for using a mobile phone, 174 notices for unaccompanied learner drivers and 106 notices for No Seatbelts.

In addition, over 115 vehicles were seized from learner permit holders driving unaccompanied and over 450 vehicles seized for having no tax or insurance.

"Enforcing road traffic laws is a core element of road safety, however, there is a personal responsibility on every road user to exert caution to ensure their safety and the safety of others," gardaí said in their statement.

"It is disappointing that in spite of public awareness campaigns and widespread efforts among both Gardaí and relevant partners such as the Road Safety Authority urging motorists to slow down - drivers continue to travel at dangerously excessive speeds on Irish roads.

"Anyone prepared to drive at the speeds detected over the course of the August Bank Holiday Weekend has the potential to destroy lives, including their own," the statement concluded.