A motorist has been arrested on suspicion of drink-driving – at a checkpoint being used by Donegal Gardai to launch their St Patrick’s Bank Holiday Road Safety Enforcement Operation.
Gardai were operating a Mandatory Intoxicant Checkpoint at Drumbarnett in Manorcunningham at 11am when the incident happened.
The checkpoint was part of a campaign to highlight awareness of road safety in the coming days with a high volume of traffic set to use the country’s roads.
The enforcement operation is focusing on the dangers of driving under the influence of an intoxicant, not wearing a seatbelt, speeding, and using a mobile phone while driving.
At this morning’s briefing, Gardai pulled over a motorist who had a number of passengers in their vehicle.
Officers were left shocked when the driver appeared to be over the drink-driving limit.
The person was arrested on suspicion of drink-driving and taken to Letterkenny Garda Station to be processed.
Head of the Donegal Traffic Corps, Inspector Seamus McGonigle, confirmed the person was arrested.
He said the arrest was a valuable lesson to all motorists of the dangers on the roads at all times of the day.
“The person was pulled in and Gardai formed their suspicions that the driver was under the influence. The driver was arrested and taken to a Garda station to be processed.”
“The incident is an example to the public that there are dangers on our roads at all times and people need to be vigilant from the moment they get behind the wheel, no matter what time of the day it is,” he said.
Inspector McGonigle confirmed that there will be an increase in Mandatory Intoxicant Checkpoints across the country over the Bank Holiday Weekend.
These are checkpoints which can be ordered by a member of An Garda Siochana of the rank of at least Garda Inspector.
Drivers stopped at these checkpoints can be tested even if Gardai have not formed the opinion that they are over the drink or drug driving limit.
Inspector McGonigle also said that Gardai will be monitoring and cracking down on drivers using phones and other distraction devices while in control of their vehicles.
