Gardaí have issued speed warnings after a motorist was caught going more than twice the 100kph speed limit on a Donegal road, it has emerged.
The driver was nabbed going 223kph in a 100kph zone on the N15 near Ballintra.
The detection came on a GoSafe safety camera, in which 29 million vehicles are checked on a 24/7 basis.
The news comes as speeding across the country has increased by 15% with 95,998 motorists caught speeding on Irish roads between January – August 2019.
The penalty for speeding is three penalty points and an €80 euro fine if paid within 28 days.
Motorists are being urged to ‘take their time on the roads’.
Chief Superintendent Paul Cleary, Roads Policing Bureau said: “Whilst most drivers abide by the speed limits, there has been an increase of 15% in detections to date in 2019 compared to 2018.
“It is also very disappointing to see some drivers detected driving considerably over the speed limit. Our social media accounts are full of such examples.
“Each time a driver chooses to drive at an excessive or inappropriate speed is potentially a serious or fatal collision.
“Please don’t be one of the driver’s detected speeding on Slow Down day and make that choice to drive safely every day”
Ms. Moyagh Murdock, Chief Executive, Road Safety Authority added: “Excessive and inappropriate speeding is the biggest killer behaviour on our road, it’s a contributory factor in a third of all fatal crashes.
“Remember the two-second rule, or four in wet conditions, that’s all the braking space you will have if you need to stop in a hurry.
“What a driver considers small increases in their speed could be the difference between life and death for such vulnerable road users.
“A pedestrian or cyclist hit by at 60km/h will only have a 1 in 10 chance of survival, however, if hit at 30km/h, 9 out of 10 will survive.
“This is especially true in vulnerable roads user rich environments like towns and cities.
“So please support ‘National Slow Down Day’ and every day by reducing your speed. Not only will you save lives you will also save money by being more fuel-efficient.”
