Gardai will be out in force at checkpoints across the country this Bank Holiday weekend.
Officers have issued a warning to motorists to slow down, wear their seatbelts and avoid drink-driving at all costs.
Chief Superintendent of the Longford/Roscommon/Mayo Garda Division Raymond McMahon told local station Midwest Radio that there will be extra checkpoints in place across the region in the coming days.
And this trend will be seen across the country this weekend as officers are on high alert, particularly for motorists driving while intoxicated.
Statistics from the August bank holiday in 2020 showed there were 105 suspected offences for drink driving.
In order to avoid harming others, or landing yourself in trouble, Drinkaware reminds people that if you’re planning on driving the day after a night out, make sure you stop drinking early or switch to non-alcoholic alternatives, and remember:
- It takes at least one hour to process one standard drink
- The time starts from when the last drink is finished if a person finished 3 pints of beer at midnight, they will have consumed 6 standard drinks, this means they need 6 hours from midnight when they stopped drinking before their body will have processed the alcohol and they should not get behind the wheel of a car until 6 am at the earliest
- Many things such as your weight, age, gender, metabolism, mood, whether you’ve eaten, etc, can further delay the processing time. 1 hour per standard drink is a guideline only.
If you’re planning on having a drink when you’re out:
- Leave the car at home
- Plan ahead if visiting a place you haven’t been before, make sure there are alternative options such as buses, taxis or trains
- If in a rural area call the restaurant or pub ahead of time to see if shuttle services are available
- If staying in a hotel/B&B check with the staff for options in taking you to and from places
You can also avail of the drinks calculator on the Drinkaware website which estimates how long it may take to process different alcoholic drinks.
Speaking ahead of the bank holiday weekend, CEO for Drinkaware Sheena Horgan said: "We know people want to do the right thing and are aware of the dangers of drinking and driving, however, road accidents in Ireland typically increase over bank holiday weekends.
"We want to provide people with practical information via the explanatory video, and tips as part of our Safe Summer campaign to help them stay safe on the roads this August bank holiday.
"It is important that people are aware of how long it takes their body to process alcohol from the night before, and also what a standard drink actually is.
"Not knowing either, may lead to making risky decisions, and we are urging the public to be informed, listen to the advice of the RSA and Garda Síochána, and keep our roads safe."
